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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Kevin Pietersen warns England "don't go pointing fingers" after India cancellation

Kevin Pietersen has said England cannot "go pointing fingers" at India after the final Test of their five-match series was called off.

A fourth positive coronavirus test among India's backroom staff sparked concerns that the outbreak could have spread to the players, but a fresh round of testing came back negative on Thursday.

However, according the Daily Telegraph, the Indian players signed a letter late last night informing the BCCI that they would not play the fifth Test due to heightened concerns over Covid.

As a result, the game was called off and talks are ongoing between the ECB and the BCCI over whether India forfeited the match.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen (Ashley Allen - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

In their initial statement, the ECB said: "India are regrettably unable to field a team and will instead forfeit the match."

However, the line about India forfeiting was soon removed and the BCCI released a separate statement stating that "the Boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match".

The ECB are reportedly keen to have the game ruled a forfeiture, with it claimed that such a result would mean their losses are covered by their insurance while a Covid-related cancellation would not be covered.

However, Pietersen believes England are not in a position to "go pointing fingers" after they pulled out of an ODI series against South Africa last year due to a number of positive Covid tests and a feeling that the bio-secure bubble they had been promised was compromised.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "England left the tour of SA for Covid scares & cost CSA plenty, so don’t go pointing fingers!"

The fifth Test between England and India has been cancelled (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Former England captain Michael Vaughan also compared the two situations, stating that England "set a precedent" by pulling out of the South Africa series.

Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, he said: "I honestly feel India have let English cricket down. It was 12 o'clock last night. All the players have tested negative. England did a similar thing to South Africa, so they set a precedent."

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