KP

By Gary Watton
May 12 2015

The media circus and assorted tosh being circulated about a possible return to test cricket for Kevin Pietersen is a complete and utter red herring. Those who call for his England recall are either plain stupid or else have little knowledge of the current England team. Allow me to educate the uneducated.

First of all I am a big fan of KP. His contribution to the England cause over the last decade has been immense. You could tell just how valuable he was to us by comparing the reactions of opposing teams when they dismissed Kevin and our other batsmen. When our batsmen get dismissed, the fielding team are happy with their wicket. When Kevin's wicket was taken, the fielding team were overjoyed and mighty relieved. You see, he was the guy with the X Factor whose protracted tenure at the crease for a few hours or more could potentially win a match in a way that wouldn't be the case if other team mates stuck around for a few hours and admirably accumulated a decent score. Pietersen by contrast could destroy the opposition with a quick 150 if he got off to a flier. Admittedly, such bravado became increasingly less likely as Kevin's England career progressed - or indeed regressed.

Unfortunately for KP, he is both a maverick batsman and a maverick personality. He is not the ultimate team player, but instead is too much of an individual who certainly has delivered frequently for his teams. Nevertheless, the England cricket hierarchy, in their questionable wisdom, prize dressing-room harmony and regrettably KP is the bete noir who is liable to either give offence or take offence. Pietersen is just too much of an individual, maybe even a loner, to be of value to the team ethic. This is not to say that he hasn't combined both to dressing-room mirth and to great team performances. It is just that his behaviour is a tad too erratic for the phelgmatic Cook.

However, above all else, there actually isn't any room at the inn for Pietersen at present anyhow. This is the overriding, and indeed overlooked, explanation as to why KP will remain surplus to requirements. Those slow learners who are demanding a Pietersen return are simply ignoring the fact that KP usually bats at four or five for his adopted country. However, let's consider England's batting line up. Ballance is firmly ensconced at three now, after an impressive debut year in test cricket. Ian Bell is the current number four batsman. Bell recorded a big ton in the first test against the West Indies and generally played quite well in England's winter internationals in both one-day cricket and five-day cricket. Any notion that Bell will be sacrificed for Pietersen is a complete non-starter. This leaves Joe Root, batting at five. Joe has just been appointed the team vice-captain [hearty congratulations to him]. He has been rock solid and mighty consistent in recent times. Root won't be dropped in favour of KP. Similarly Moeen Ali, batting at six, doubles up as the team's first-choice spinner. Will he be making way for Kevin? Frankly, no.

England do have selection problems at present, namely who should be the back-up seamers to Anderson and Broad and who should partner Cook as an opener. It is quite ironic that the only batting vacancy at the moment is the opening spot, one which Pietersen is not deemed suitable for. Furthermore, hell would have to freeze over before Cook would accept Pietersen as his opening partner. It would be cricket's equivalent of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact!

For all of Kevin's recent runs, a big ton against a university team and a fabulous 355 not out against a mediocre second division Leicestershire, he is light years away from another England test. His former friend and also sparring partner, Andrew Strauss has now had to tell Kevin precisely that. He is just not on the radar for England any time soon. Only if Cook resigns as England captain if/when the team are slaughtered by the Aussies this summer, will calls for another test for Pietersen become remotely worth considering.