Kevin Pietersen: Former England Batsman Questions ECB Sacking Ahead of Book Release

Kevin Pietersen remains in the dark regarding the reasons over his sacking from the England cricket team but retains belief he could yet return to the international fold.

Ahead of the public release of his autobiography on Thursday 9 October, which coincides with the end of the confidentiality agreement brokered between Pietersen and the England Wales Cricket Board upon his exile from the England team, the 34-year-old has divulged details regarding his exit.

Wicket-keeper Matt Prior, ECB managing director Paul Downton and ex-England coach Andy Flower are among the individuals criticised by Pietersen in an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph and could yet see his return to the dressing room become impossible.

Pietersen was sacked in February following England's 5-0 Ashes whitewash defeat to Australia, but insists he is yet to have the full reasons behind his dismissal explained to him by the ECB.

"Why was I sacked? I'd love to know," said Pietersen.

"Cricketing reasons. We're not going to select you. Cricketing reasons. They could hide behind that, because if they'd tried to give any other reasons I would have sued them. I would have taken them to the cleaners."

Among the most shocking claims made by Pietersen regarding the collapse of the England dressing room surrounds the protection given to the team's premier bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and the now retired Graeme Swann.

"Horrendous. Hugely disturbing," said England's leading run-scorer in international cricket. "I brought it up. All throughout my reintegration meetings [following messages sent to the opposition in 2012], I brought it up on numerous occasions.

"I could give you telephone numbers of international players around the world. You ring them and ask them about the way the England team conducted themselves through the last three, four years. Listen to them.

"It was allowed to develop. It's in the book. The bowlers were given so much power. They were doing really well. Swanny was winning game after game for us. Broady was contributing. Jimmy was contributing. These guys ran the dressing room.

"The thing that horrified me the most was when Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss in Bangalore before the one-day internationals said: 'Guys we've got to stop this, it's not right for the team, there are guys that have come to [us] that are intimidated to field the ball.'

"And they [the bowlers] had the audacity to stand there and say: 'No, if they've f----- up we deserve an apology.' It's the most angry I ever got in that dressing room. I thought, I reckon I could hit these guys. Who do you think you are, to ask for an apology from someone who's trying his heart out, who's playing for his country, who's making a mistake?"

Despite the revelations prior to the release of Pietersen's book, the batsman remains committed to returning to the international game should the current ECB board of selectors be broken up.

"I know that my issues are not just the captain of England but the board," Pietersen added. "If that changes – and I believe it could do in the next few months – then I really believe I could play for England again.

"The reason I want to play for England is that I honestly 100% believe I can help the youngsters get better and I believe I can help Cooky [Alastair Cook] get better. I said to Andy Flower in that Ashes series, please, whenever you speak to Cooky, if he needs my help I'll help him.

"I'm not going to force myself on him. I want him to be a great captain. And I've said that to Cooky too."