Flintoff bats for Pietersen’s return for ‘final frontier’ India tour

London: Former captain Andrew Flintoff has urged the England management to pick Kevin Pietersen for their forthcoming tour to India, which he believes is the final frontier they need to conquer.

Coach Andy Flower and selectors must decide next week whether to pick Pietersen for this winter’s four-Test trip. England batsmen Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara have already stated publicly they want their star man to return, and now Flintoff has also claimed taking Pietersen to India would strengthen team’s chances to succeed in the sub continental conditions. “I don’t know what’s happened, nobody does. But what we do know is that when he is playing, England are a better side and for that reason, everyone would like to see him back,” “He’s one of the best five players in the world. Going to India is one of the final frontiers for English cricket. We’ve performed everywhere but we’ve never really cracked it on the subcontinent,” he added. “Alastair Cook has taken the one-day side forward and hopefully now the Test team can get back to what it was a few months ago. We’ve got the players to do it. It’s just getting them singing off the same hymn sheet,” he said. Much was made of the duo’s own relationship during their playing days together, but Flintoff insists Pietersen is not unmanageable and Cook’s England can get on with him in the side. “I get on fine with Kevin. He’s an individual and he’s an individual when he bats. When he’s scoring hundreds you just sit and watch and think ‘how does he do that?’” Flintoff said. “When you’re winning, it’s all great and everyone gets on. But it’s testing when you’re having some hard times. It’s nothing new. I just hope everything gets resolved,” he said. ANI