KP could miss Ashes because of Achilles injury

London, June 14 (ANI): England batsman Kevin Pietersen could miss this year's Ashes series against Australia because of his Achilles heel injury.

According to a News of The World report, KP has been asked to take another spinal injection to ensure that he is fit for today's must-win Twenty20 World Cup clash with India at Lord's.

"I'm taking the best medical advice and I'm doing everything I can to face Australia but, occasionally, Achilles injuries do flare up. If that happens on the morning of a Test then I wouldn't be able to take part," the tabloid quoted KP, as saying.

He said: "I can promise you I am doing everything in my power to make sure I am OK. 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. 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," he added.

"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," he said.

The injection into the nerve delivers a high dose of anti-inflammatory and also anaesthetizes the area and allows swelling to subside. An injection into the spine would most likely be in order to deliver the cortisone into the sciatic nerve at the base of the back or reduce inflammation in the nerve groupings that form in that area and run down the back of the leg into the heel, including the Achilles area, News of The World reports. (ANI)