DUBAI: Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen said on Tuesday he was not out to make a point in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Pietersen, 33, was told he was no longer part of the England’s plans after the Ashes whitewash.

England’s only player in the IPL will captain Delhi Daredevils, who paid £880,000 to re-sign him in the auction.

“I never play cricket to make any point,” said Pietersen. “I love playing cricket. I just want to go out there and enjoy the game.”

Surrey’s Pietersen scored his first T20 century for Delhi in 2012 and has 634 runs in the IPL at an average of 42.26 but missed last year’s tournament because of injury.

England’s all-time leading run-scorer across all formats, he will now be available for a full IPL season for the first time following the end of his international career.

England were whitewashed 5-0 by Australia in the Ashes Test series Down Under and Pietersen was criticised for the manner of some of his dismissals.

He was the third most expensive player in this year’s IPL auction behind India’s Yuvraj Singh, who was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for £1.37m. Alex Hales and Ian Bell were among 10 Englishmen left unsold.

But Pietersen has been ruled out of Delhi’s opening match with a finger injury.

“Kevin is still a few days away so he won’t be considered for tomorrow,” Delhi assistant coach Eric Simons was quoted as saying in the Guardian . “It is obviously a setback because he’s an important player in our set-up and an important player in any team. It is a difficult situation.”

The seventh edition of the 20-over tournament, which features eight teams, runs from April 16 to June 1.

The opening matches will be held in the United Arab Emirates to avoid a clash with India’s ongoing general election. The competition returns to India once polling has concluded.

Last year’s winners Mumbai Indians — without the retired Sachin Tendulkar — were scheduled to play in the curtain-raiser against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Delhi start their campaign against Royal Challengers in Sharjah on Thursday.

South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who retired from Test cricket in December, was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Australia’s Mitchell Johnson and David Warner were signed by Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.