Kevin Pietersen unloads on England and tells team to put up or shut up after Lord’s Ashes loss

Kevin Pietersen isn’t shy when it comes to criticising England – and the former star batter was at it again after the side’s controversial loss in the second Test at Lord’s.

The 104-Test veteran called for Ben Stokes and his teammates to stop talking and actually deliver in the Ashes, accusing them of lacking the killer instinct to back up their boasts.

‘If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk, and this England cricket team isn’t walking the walk,’ Pietersen wrote.

‘They are acting like they are the greatest team around, but they are currently on course to be the first England team to lose at home to Australia since 2001.

‘After the first Test match, Ollie Robinson said they felt like they won the game, Jimmy Anderson was complaining that the wicket was like kryptonite.

Kevin Pietersen isn’t shy when it comes to criticising England – and the former star batsman was at it again ahead of the third Test at Headingley

The 104-Test veteran called for Ben Stokes (pictured) and his teammates to stop talking and actually deliver in the Ashes

Pietersen also called for 40-year-old quick Jimmy Anderson to be rested, with Mark Wood his replacement at Headingley

‘Then you’ve got Zak Crawley saying they’re going to win the next one by 150 runs.

‘Leading into Headingley, all of this needs to stop. The pressure that they’re putting themselves under by speaking that way and using that language is unnecessary. 

‘It’s not helping in any way, shape, or form.’

Pietersen then pointed out that while he was outspoken in his playing career, he backed it up with runs, especially against Australia in the 2005 series on home soil.

He also called for 40-year-old quick Anderson to be rested, with Mark Wood his replacement.

The South African born commentator went onto query why the team lacks the killer instinct Australia possess, whether ‘Bazball’ under coach Brendon McCullum is sustainable and why opening batsman Crawley seems to be a lock in the XI.

Pietersen hailed Australia’s killer instinct, which was on display when they took the highly controversial wicket of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s (pictured) in a tactic many English fans and experts believe went against the spirit of the game

Branding the home side’s declaration in the first Test ‘one of the craziest decisions in Ashes history’, he said it invited the Aussies to put their foot on the hosts’ throat.

‘That’s how they play this sport. They have this mongrel in them,’ he wrote.

‘I don’t see that mongrel in the England cricket team. There’s so much relaxed talk … unfortunately, all that matters is winning.’ 

Pietersen also wants to see Moeen Ali win the job as England’s spinner, providing he has recovered from his finger injury.

And in Pietersen’s eyes, if young gun Harry Brook doesn’t learn to play the short ball, his Test career will be over before it starts.