The Ashes 2013-14: Kevin Pietersen has 'less than zero interest' in Graeme Swann's parting comments "Sunday was a family day and I'm not giving any energy to what happened," said Pietersen referring to when Swann's comments originally went public. My interest levels in that day are less than zero. The only energy I've got on this tour left in me is for Melbourne on the 26th, training today, training tomorrow, and Sydney. Pietersen and Swann have never been close, though that did not preclude them having a civil working relationship. Swann's retirement, especially the timing, has not been met with universal approval, but Pietersen is big enough to recognise and applaud a fellow maverick talent, if only briefly. "Everybody makes decisions," said Pietersen. He's a 34-year-old grown man who has had a fantastic career for England. But it gives Monty Panesar an incredible opportunity to become a great bowler. And you guys all know what I think of left-arm spinners. Pietersen's travails against left-arm spinners are well known but here they have been largely against Peter Siddle a right-arm pace bowler. Siddle has got him out three times out of six so far in the series, often to careless shots. His tally of 165 runs in three Tests at 27.9 is a poor return for someone of Pietersen's abilities and there have been calls, from Geoff Boycott among others, for him to be dropped. "I have the greatest admiration for Geoffrey Boycott, what he achieved for England, but I think the way Geoffrey played and the way I play are totally different," said Pietersen. However, if Pietersen makes 62 runs in the fourth Test the two England batsmen's records will be almost identical in terms of average and career runs. "I wish I could tell you why I've not really made an impact on the series," Pietersen added. I've got myself in every single time. I felt like a clown in Adelaide - when I hit that ball to midwicket off Siddle I just didn't feel good at the crease at all. But every other time I've batted on this trip, I've felt really, really good. I've got myself out a couple of times and a couple of other times fortune didn't favour the brave. It's just a case of making sure I keep doing what I do, because it's proved successful. I've proved over the last however many years that I'll play to the situation of the game. I haven't got 100. I might get one on Thursday and we might be sitting here, all nice and happy. It would certainly be a starting point as England's beleaguered team search for renewal and their first win of the tour. Pietersen's only hundreds in Australia have come at the Adelaide Oval while his top score from three innings at the MCG is 51. Runs are what England have lacked this series yet the only change to the batting line-up has been an unforced one when Jonathan Trott went home after Brisbane with a stress-related illness. Ben Stokes was the beneficiary but so too were England, not in terms of winning ways, but in the unearthing an all-rounder of thrilling potential following his brilliant hundred in Perth. Swann's departure has also opened a door, one must assume Monty Panesar will walk through. Stokes's presence as a fourth seamer does allow England some leeway with their fifth bowler. If they were minded too, they could play someone like Durham's Scott Borthwick, a wrist-spinner batsman called into the squad on Sunday. Stuart Broad, hit on the foot by a Mitchell Johnson yorker at the WACA, trained and bowled at the MCG yesterday. Broad is having a decent series with the ball and will not want to miss a Boxing Day Test. One man who seems certain to sit the match out was Matt Prior, whose poor year culminated with a horror display with bat and gloves at Perth. He was being consoled at practice by Graham Gooch two days ago but not today when he shared equal billing with Jonny Bairstow, as the pair did catching practice and wicket-keeping drills. Swann's sudden retirement may have given Prior, a fellow senior player and the team's vice-captain, a reprieve. For those who look for clues during nets Prior batted with the batsmen, Bairstow with the bowlers. Whichever combination England settle upon for the fourth Test they need to start winning again before they can claim to be on the mend. "We've been hurt big time here," said Pietersen. I remember when we hurt the great Australian side in 2005. They waited for another season to have us at home - and they gave us a good, old battering. But you don't play three Test matches and become horrendous cricketers; you don't turn up on an Australian tour and lose whatever we lost - 5-0 (in 2006/07) - and never have a good day in your career again. We've had some incredible days after. But I do think this team acknowledges we need to play a lot better this week, because we owe it to ourselves and to a lot of people who've paid a lot of money to come and watch us. We know we're letting ourselves down.