KP in IPL defence

England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen says that 'Jealousy' towards the IPL means that many of his team mates, are not enjoying the fruits of the most lucrative time of the year for cricketers.

With just Pietersen and Eoin Morgan from England's one day side over in India at the moment, KP is struggling to see how so many 'second-rate' (in his words) Australian's are picking up large sums of money for playing in this years tournament.

"The IPL is very much struggling to find acceptance back home."

"It saddens me because I have had an amazing time at the IPL. It's down to a lot of jealousy I think, which is sad. "It saddens me, all the negative publicity the IPL gets in the [UK] media, I don't know why."

"I'd love to see more English players available for - well not only available, I would love to see them picked up because I also see some of the games being played at the moment and I just think 'Man, up here would have been lot better if the Andersons, Bresnans and Boparas were involved in the IPL'," he told CNN-IBN.

"The guys like Bell, you've got world-class players who are sitting in England now wanting to play the IPL when you've got some second-rate Australians getting gigs here."

"So for me, it's sad that I don't have fellow team-mates playing in the IPL and embarking on a magnificent journey here in the subcontinent and it'll help English cricket as well."

Stuart Broad was due to play in this years tournament, but had to withdraw with his calf injury picked up from the Sri Lanka tour.

There are many of course, who feel, both Pietersen and Morgan should be playing for their counties as the domestic season kicks off in England, rather than following the pay cheque halfway around the world. Afterall, players are continually telling us they play too much cricket all year round nowadays.

Pietersen is playing for the Delhi Daredevils, although he has to return home early from the competition, to prepare for England's home series with the West Indies. It won't stop him picking up a tidy estimated £700,000 sum though, for his few weeks work.