Former England bowler Darren Gough has criticised national team selectors for dropping Kevin Pietersen from the limited-overs team for the upcoming games against Pakistan, despite a disappointing spell with the bat.
Gough believes the move is unjust after his heroics during the World Twenty20 triumph in West Indies earlier this year and he feels an England Test side without the flamboyant star for the Ashes later in the winter could prove to turn the tide Australia's way.
Speaking to TalkSport radio, Gough said: "He's England's best one-day player and what better way for him to get back into form than to go out against Pakistan and belt it.
"It's absolutely pathetic that you can drop the man who was player of the tournament at the World Twenty20 earlier this year.
"If they don't take him to the Ashes, we might as well just give Australia the urn. What would Australia have done? I didn't see them drop Mike Hussey when he was struggling.
"I didn't see them drop Michael Clarke when he went through a bad run of form. They stick with them because they're world-class."