NEW DELHI: Kevin Pietersen said the performance of Indian batsmen, especially Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, will be critical to the side’s chances during their lengthy tour of England this summer.

Pietersen played a key role during the last series in 2011 when he set the tone for England’s 4-0 whitewash with a double century in the first Test at the Lord’s.

Terming India’s batting line-up as one of the best in world, Pietersen said: “It’s going to be a fantastic series. England are rebuilding, while India have got incredible batting talent.

“They have got Pujara, Kohli and Murali Vijay and all of them have the technique to score runs in England. It will be important that they score runs otherwise it will be a problem,” he said.

India’s tour to England three years ago ended in humiliation and they will look to do better this time around.

“The last time the problem was that only Rahul [Dravid] got the runs. But India’s batting is very good and very talented.”

India will be playing five Tests from July 9 to Aug 19, which will be followed by five One-day Internationals and one Twenty20 International.

As far as the England are concerned, the 33-year-old Pietersen said the hosts will mostly miss the services of retired off-spinner Graeme Swann.

“England are definitely going to miss Swann. He had the ability to take many wickets in the first innings and could smash through a batting order in the second,” Pietersen, who is leading Delhi Daredevils in the ongoing IPL, said.

In a surprise decision, Swann announced his retirement in the middle of the Ashes series in Australia last winter.

Asked about the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Pietersen said all teams have a good chance.

“All the teams have a good chance. The batting wickets are just fantastic in Australia. They will need to make the most of the conditions,” Pietersen said.