Kevin Pietersen: Sir Alastair Cook has no idea what IPL is like - 'Jacob Bethell should ignore him'

Kevin Pietersen reignited his long-running feud with Sir Alastair Cook over his former England team-mate's criticisms of Jacob Bethell being at the Indian Premier League.

Bethell has been unused by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Cook urged the youngster to return to Warwickshire to play county cricket instead of "sitting on his a*** at the IPL not doing anything."

Pietersen, who was banished from the England set-up when Cook was captain after the 2013-14 Ashes, argued the former left-handed opener's lack of IPL experience renders his judgement irrelevant.

"Alastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what it's like to be in the IPL," Pietersen wrote on X. "What it's like to always be around the best players in the world.

"So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesn't matter at all. Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you're not playing, you're learning and will be a way better player."

Pietersen later added in a separate X post: "If county cricket was as strong as it was in the late 90s and early 2000s, I'd also want Bethell back playing it now. But, it's NOT! It'll benefit England more by him being in India and he's already shown that."

Bethell has had a breakout past few months to establish himself in England's top-order across all three formats following hundreds in the Ashes in Sydney and the T20 World Cup semi-final against India.

While he has been sat on the sidelines for all of RCB's first six matches, Bethell, who is earning around £250,000 from his deal, defended being at the IPL rather than at Edgbaston.