Kevin Pietersen's blunt, non-nonsense reply to fan's ‘you played many years ago' tweet

In reply to Kevin Pietersen's tweet, a fan wrote: "You played many years ago. Things have changed as they often do." Pietersen took note of the comment and came up with a no-nonsense reply. "I made them change!" he wrote.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen gave a straightforward reply to a fan who said "things have changed" now on his Twitter post on Tuesday. Pietersen took a dig at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on the backdrop of Ben Stokes' unexpected ODI retirement announcement. "I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too," Pietersen tweeted.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen (Getty Images)

In reply to the former right-hander's tweet, a fan wrote: "You played many years ago. Things have changed as they often do." Pietersen took note of the comment and came up with a no-nonsense reply. "I made them change!" he wrote.

Pietersen was among the many noted former England cricketers including Nasser Hussain who have spoken out against the hectic scheduling in international cricket. England's Test captain Ben Stokes announced his retirement from ODI cricket at the age of 31 citing that it was not possible for him to give a 100% in all formats considering the crammed schedule. To top it all, the international players are also expected to ply their trade on multiple T20 leagues across the globe, making it almost impossible for them to same time off.

"Three formats are just unsustainable for me now. Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give Jos and the rest of the team their all. It’s time for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years.

"I will give everything I have to Test cricket, and now, with this decision, I feel I can also give my total commitment to the T20 format," Stokes said in a statement.

Notably, it was Pietersen way back in 2012, who had first opened up about cricket's unnatural scheduling. "With the intensity of the international schedule and the increasing demands on my body, approaching 32, it is the right time to step aside," Pietersen had said.

The right-hander played his last ODI for England in 2013 before retiring from the format. He played his last Test the next year.