Ton up KP hits out at critics

He said: "I'm committed to everything I do for this country and for this team, to win a Test match or a one-day game."

Scroll down to read more:

His 134 on the fourth day of the first npower Test left England well placed to push for victory today, weatherpermitting. Having posted 282 second time around to set the tourists an unlikely 380 target, they reduced them to 137 for three — crucially dismissing captain Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in the process.

If those key wickets put Michael Vaughan's men on course for a fourth successive win this summer, it was Pietersen who did the groundwork. He had been criticised in the build-up for complaining about exhaustion while engaging in promotional work, but yesterday's century was the ideal riposte and he celebrated it with gusto.

His actions were then backed up by strong words, as he said: "Every time I turn up for a training session, every time I turn up for an international, I never ever shy away from anything.

"My preparation is everything to me and it's instrumental to the way I perform. All the celebrations today were because of everything that had gone into this Test match.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinions. I simply answered a question I was asked last week on my time off. It got blown up out of all proportions but I'm committed to everything and I'll always turn up for England.

"That is the bottom line. I've never ever asked for a day off in terms of an international.

"But the most important thing is to set the team up to win. That's why I gave my wicket away this afternoon trying to score a few more runs when I could have played for myself and still been there."

Pietersen has already produced many memorable innings for England, including the 158 to secure Ashes glory at The Oval two years ago, and a maiden double-hundred against the West Indies at Edgbaston this season. But he insisted that yesterday's knock was the best.

"That was right out of the top drawer. I'd probably rate it as No 1," he said. "The conditions were as testing as I've ever had them in a Test, or a county game. That really, really was a difficult time for batting, late last night and this morning."

England's leading batsman also appeared to intervene when India's Sourav Ganguly and home captain Vaughan carried on some talk as the players left the field. Pietersen said: "International sport is tough, played by tough competitors. He's a tough competitor, Michael is a tough competitor and they were exchanges of words which happen all day, every day on a sports field."

Can England win today? Pietersen said: 'We wanted to get a 400 lead so I was pretty cross to get out when we only had 380, but Dravid and Tendulkar are two massive wickets for us. India have still got good batsmen, though, so we have to keep our wits about us.' Today's Lord's admission: £20 (adults); £10 (over-65s); free (under-16s).