Kevin Pietersen lauds then warns Team India ahead of England series

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen lavished high praise on the Indian cricket team that won the final Test in Brisbane by three wickets and wrapped up the four-match series 2-1 on Tuesday, but not without giving a friendly warning ahead of the England series starting next month.

India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after defeating Australia at the Gabba, where the hosts have not lost a match since 1988. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant’s brilliant show with the bat helped India chase down the target of 328 runs, their third highest total to win a Test.

This is also India’s second consecutive Test series win in Australian soil, having won the trophy two years ago.

Pietersen took to Twitter to highlight Team India’s achievement Down Under, in Hindi no less, and added that the real challenge lay ahead when the England team comes to India in another two weeks.

“India - yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai (This is a historic win, you must celebrate because it has been achieved despite all obstacles),” the ex-England captain congratulated India after the win.

“LEKIN, ASLI TEAM toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein (However, the real challenge comes your way in a few weeks, and you have to beat them at home),” he wrote, referring to the England team.

“Satark rahe, 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen (Be careful, refrain from celebrating too much in the coming two weeks),” Pietersen concluded.

India will face England in a four-match Test series starting February 5. The BCCI announced the squad for the first two Tests on Tuesday, just hours after the win at the Gabba.

Skipper Virat Kohli, who went on paternity leave after the first Test in Australia, will return to lead India in the series against England. Hardik Pandya and Ishant Sharma were also recalled to be part of the squad. The Board also named Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and K.L. Rahul who had sustained injuries during the tour of Australia.

Tamil Nadu pacer T. Natarajan was dropped and Axar Patel was included as the latter is believed to be more effective to counter England on Indian pitches.

India squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Shubhman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel.