KP 'motivated' to achieve 10,000 Test run target

London, Jan 16(ANI): England star cricketer Kevin Pietersen has vowed to achieve the 10,000 Test run benchmark and maintain his average above 50, indicating that he has regained his enthusiasm for the sport.

"My motivation is still to get 10,000 Test runs (currently he has 6,361), score as many hundreds (19) as possible and average 50 (50.48). I still have those ambitions, I think I'm on my way to achieving them," The Sun quoted Pieterson, as saying.

"My batting is absolutely fine, there's no drama there. I have to turn up on Tuesday, with the TV cameras and get the buzz. Everything will be fine. I don't need to flick the switch, the switch gets flicked for you. It's the big stage," he added.

His statement came ahead of the first Test between England and Pakistan since the spot-fixing scandal engulfed cricket in 2010.

Pieterson's enthusiasm for cricket had earlier waned after being stripped of the captaincy, but he is fully motivated again.

"In 2010, I went back to South Africa and worked with my old coach. I had to go away and try to find my love for the game and recapture stuff I did when I started. Since then, people tell me I have averaged 70," Pieterson said

"I did fall out of love with the game. I wasn't interested. The treadmill can be hard but I also know we're very fortunate. We're very lucky to be here in Dubai for two months when it's cold, wet, windy and horrible in the UK," he added.

He dubbed the upcoming series as a huge tournament because England would strive maintaining the World No 1 Test team tag.

"Staying No 1 is a lot more difficult than getting there because everybody is trying to knock you off your perch. When you're on the journey, it's okay. But it's a British thing to clean out somebody when they're on top," Pieterson said. (ANI)