Kevin Pietersen has revived his long-standing feud with Alastair Cook, defending England batter Jacob Bethell’s decision to remain with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite not playing.
Cook had suggested on the Stick to Cricket podcast that Bethell would be better off returning to county cricket with Warwickshire, saying, "He's not doing anything. Ideally he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England."
Pietersen fired back on X, writing: "Alastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what it's like to be in the IPL. What it's like to always be around the best players in the world. So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesn't matter at all. Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you're not playing, you're learning and will be a way better player."
The rift between Pietersen and Cook dates back to the 2013-14 Ashes, when Cook was captain and Pietersen's England career was terminated. Pietersen, who played 104 Tests, has always championed the IPL, often clashing with English cricket authorities who were wary of the tournament.
Cook, a knighted former England captain with 12,472 Test runs (later surpassed by Joe Root), never played in the IPL.
Bethell, 22, scored a maiden Test century in Sydney during the Ashes and is expected to start in the first Test against New Zealand on 4 June, just days after the IPL final. Despite not playing a match for RCB or any cricket since 5 March, and having only one first-class appearance for Warwickshire since August 2024, Pietersen insists the IPL experience is invaluable.
"By practising with the best players in the world. By watching very closely the best players in the world. By speaking to the best coaches in the world. By building life-long friendships with the best players in the world. By acquainting himself with India so that whenever he tours India, it's easier for him. If you think playing a county game in Derby in April is better for his development, I can't help," Pietersen added.