Controversial former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has slammed the decision to drop veteran Ian Bell for the upcoming Test tour of South Africa, labelling the move "pathetic".

Quick Single: England drop Bell for Proteas series

Bell, England’s third most capped Test player and eighth most prolific batsman, was overlooked for the 16-man squad to tour South Africa in December and January, prompting Pietersen to air his dissatisfaction, posting a video on Twitter with the title "I’m really pissed off".

"How can you take somebody who’s played over 100 Test matches and you’ve got the biggest Test series of the year coming up against the No.1 side in the world and you can drop him, leave him out of the tour?" Pietersen said in the video.

"I mean, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

"I understand how people can say 'yep, he might not have scored runs for a while', but you’re going to play South Africa in South Africa against one of the best bowling attacks that’s bowled over the last few years.

"You have to take him for his experience. You just have to take him. You cannot drop him before this.

"If he doesn’t score runs after South Africa then maybe, I can sort of understand it. But I just do not get the thinking behind this."

Bell, who also took to Twitter to comment on his absence, was the second most experienced player in the unsuccessful Test tour of the UAE this month behind captain Alastair Cook, but his run of poor form left him vulnerable to the selection axe.

I'm absolutely gutted not to be selected for the tour to South Africa. I certainly feel I could have contributed out... Posted by Ian Bell on Thursday, November 19, 2015

The graceful right-hander hasn’t scored a Test century in 23 innings, averaging 20 in that period.

But Pietersen says Bell should have been given the same faith that England showed under siege skipper Cook, who went 19 Tests and 35 innings without reaching triple-figures.

"Captain Cook himself, he can go two years without a Test hundred yet he can play every single game," Pietersen said.

"And as for Belly, Belly struggles a bit, he got a hundred what, nine or 10 Test matches ago, but he’s not good enough to get to the South African tour.

"I think it’s pathetic, and I think he’s been hard done by here and people need to start having a look at themselves."

Pietersen is not the only former player to be surprised by Bell’s axing.

Ex-South Africa captain Graeme Smith and former Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher also used Twitter to question England's selections.

Very surprised England have selected Ballance for tour of SA.... Thinking our fast bowlers might be licking their lips! — Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) November 19, 2015