Kevin Pietersen's schedule too stacked for 50-over compromise to gain World T20 England place Firstly, he wants to play in the World Twenty20 in September, where England need him as an opening batsman who can take on spinners, on slow turning pitches. Alex Hales scored 99 as England's opener in their last T20 international against West Indies, but does not yet have the game to take international spinners apart. Pietersen also wants to play in the seven Tests this winter, four in India before Christmas and three in New Zealand afterwards. He is, after all, still contracted to the ECB as a Test specialist. On the face of it therefore, the series of five one-day internationals in India in January could be one for Pietersen to miss, but he said yesterday: "I love touring India. I have some of my biggest fans there. In that case, what about missing the limited-overs matches in New Zealand straight after India and before the three Tests against New Zealand? Do I want to miss the one-dayers in New Zealand? You're the one saying that. As for reneging on his Indian Premier League contract with Delhi Daredevils, that is unthinkable. Anybody in the world would want to play in the IPL for the money I'm getting. For certain Pietersen is in the form of his life, and not only at cricket. He scored a goal in the last minute of the Surrey players" warm-up game yesterday, albeit with the aid of a deflection. Practising in the nets, he then pulled a short ball into Woodbridge Road where it hit the window of a passing car. He would have resumed on 234 not out if the fourth day of Surrey's championship match had been played. Chris Adams, Surrey's team director, was asked after the abandonment whether England could afford not to take Pietersen to the World Twent20. "Yes they can," Adams said. But having said that, if they went in with him then they would be stronger. But the ECB have taken a logical stand in deciding that any England player who wants to play 20-over internationals has to play 50-overs as well. Otherwise, young stars of the future could play in Tests then go off to all the 20-over tournaments sprouting around the world. "That might happen in three years" time," Pietersen said, "I'm talking about now." A lot of negotiating, between two polarised sides, remains to be done in the next 48 hours.