Pietersen admits he could miss Ashes

London:

Kevin Pietersen has revealed he could miss the upcoming Ashes series against Australia because of his problem Achilles injury.

The England batsman, who missed England's shock World Twenty20 loss to the Netherlands with the injury, is only allowed to have one more cortisone injection in his spine.

"I'm taking the best medical advice and I'm doing everything I can to face Australia but, occasionally, Achilles injuries do flare up," he told the News of the World.

"If that happens on the morning of a Test then I wouldn't be able to take part," he added.

Pietersen, the star performer in England's batting line-up and the man whose 158 at the Oval four years ago helped secure the side's 2005 Ashes series win, insisted that he would do anything to be fit for the series.

"I can promise you I am doing everything in my power to make sure I am OK," said the South African-born star.

"I've got one more injection I can have before I'm not allowed any more. That would be a cortisone epidural into the spinal cord.

"The Achilles injury is a nerve problem related to the back but since I had the injection last Friday I have been fine," he explained.

"There is still pain in the heel but I'm doing the right thing to try to eliminate as much pain as I can. In order to fix an Achilles injury like this properly I probably do need two or three months out of the game. "Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. I'm a man who wants to play every game for England and as much as I can.

"As long as I can walk I will play."

Better news for England, seeking to regain the Ashes after a 5-0 series thrashing in Australia in 2006-07, came with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's recent return to first-class action following a knee problem.

The first Ashes Test starts at Cardiff on July 8.