Kevin Pietersen should be suspended for on-air comments criticising an umpiring decision during a BBL match, a former Test umpire says.
In comments to Network Ten while playing on Tuesday, the under-fire Melbourne Stars batsman slammed the decision not to give Perth's Sam Whiteman out caught behind.
"That was a shocker, an absolute shocker,'' said Pietersen, who was mic'ed up while fielding during the Scorchers' run chase.
"He says it could have been glove or pad, and I said, 'well, he's got big gloves and big pads to reach that'.
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"Massive nick.''
Scorchers opener Whiteman, who made 31 run in his side's seven wicket victory, was 13 at the time of the unsuccessful appeal.
Retired Australian umpire Peter Parker, who adjudicated in 10 Tests and 65 one- day internationals, believes Pietersen's comments set a bad example.
He said the Englishman should be facing a ban.
"Players need to show more respect," Parker told News Corp Australia.
"There's too much questioning going on and too many players getting in their (umpires') face.
"The kids sitting at home watching Kevin make those comments, how do you then tell them on a Saturday morning it's not acceptable."
The call comes as Pietersen also faces criticism over his performances during the BBL season.
Despite being one of the leading run-scorers in 2016-17, Australian coach Darren Lehmann said the Stars should dump him after his failure with the bat on Tuesday.
AAP