KP Achilles injury aggravated during IPL

London:

Kevin Pietersen aggravated his Achilles injury during the Indian Premier League in South Africa, according to the assistant coach-cum-physiotherapist of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Evan Speechly, who plays a dual role with the IPL outfit for which Pietersen plays, revealed that Pietersen had sustained the injury during England's tour of the West Indies but aggravated it while jogging along a Durban beach during the second edition of the IPL.

"We knew there was a problem there and we monitored it very carefully," Speechly told a cricket website.

"I think he was just feeling so good about it that he got a bit carried away and tried to run on it too soon. He woke up one morning and decided to go for a run along the beachfront in Durban. It flared up again after that. He returned slightly the worse for wear because of that.

"He came to us in great shape. The England Cricket Board sent us his whole medical history. We were informed he had a problem with the Achilles. We monitored him throughout and placed him on a special exercise program. It was very strict what he could and could not do. We didn't train all that much, but he was not to run, only play in the nets, when we were. He was doing the eccentric exercise," Speechly added.

Pietersen was clearly in discomfort in the first two Ashes Test before deciding to undergo a surgery which ruled him out of action for at least six weeks.