England in West Indies

[King Pietersen]

Pietersen's a far better player than he was in 2005. I'm just glad you're not a selector, dropping the best player because he's a little arrogant is idiocy. Australia never dropped Hayden or McGrath, and West Indies never dropped Sir Viv Richards, and they were as arrogant as Pietersen, if not more so. The fact is, Pietersen has more talent than any other player in the England team, and he believes he's good enough to play what shot he likes against any bowler, and he is. He doesn't need a kick up the backside, he's a class player, and you're only saying this because you don't see arrogance as a positive trait.

 

[Themer]

He isn't as exciting as he used to be.

He isn't as exciting because he's learnt to play within himself a bit more so he doesn't get out to a silly shot.

 

[Leicester Fox]

He isn't as exciting because he's learnt to play within himself a bit more so he doesn't get out to a silly shot.

really? white text

 

[Highlander999]

For me, the whole KP thing is falling flat. I detest the arrogance and 'I art better than thou' attitude he has now. If there wasn't a massive Ashes series close, I would drop him for the first Test of a series to give him a kick up the backside. I'm starting to feel like we will never get the really good Pietersen back, like he was from late 2004 to late 2005.

I agree with you Lee, however, I wouldn't drop him. He needs to be dealt with in a different manner. I could just imagine him sulking if he got dropped and we lose a quality batsman

 

[King Pietersen]

This is ridiculous. If Pietersen was still being aggressive and basically slogging people would be slagging him off, telling him he needs to be more sensible. Now he's more sensible, they're still slagging him off. I hate that about England fans, KP hits a six to bring up a hundred and he'd be touted as a genius. Yet if was to gets out playing the same shot, playing his natural game, he gets slagged off. Just pure hypocrisy. Pietersen's our best player, and is still as exciting to watch as anyone in the world. He's certainly the only player in the England team that I try not to miss a delivery when he's at the crease, I love the style and the arrogance. So entertaining to watch, and any calls of him being dropped, or needing a kick up the backside are nothing more than moronic in my eyes. He's our best performing batsman, and our most consistent batsman, it's the likes of Cook and Harmison that need a kick up the backside, not our best player.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

I agree with you Lee, however, I wouldn't drop him. He needs to be dealt with in a different manner. I could just imagine him sulking if he got dropped and we lose a quality batsman

He's England best player by a mile, he's in quality form, he's a quality player and has saved England so many times. His arrogance is part of what makes him what he is. His arrogance is good, it's part of his character. He doesn't need to change it.

 

[Skater]

I agree with Joe, there was something about Pietersen in his heyday that made you want to watch every ball he faced. Now it is different, I would rather watch Strauss. Saying he isn't as exciting now because he has learnt to control himself and not to get out to a silly shot is a hollow argument because he has been out to more silly shots since he waned than he was in his heyday. In any other year I would definitely drop him to relight the spark in him.

 

[WestIndian]

Australia never dropped Hayden or McGrath, and West Indies never dropped Sir Viv Richards, and they were as arrogant as Pietersen, if not more so.

You know Dan I hate to get into these type of responding to your post, but you call Sir Viv arrogant?? Maybe even more than KP!!! I am not going to debate how arrogant KP is or not, but if you want to compare his to that of Richards, maybe you should also compare the era in which they both played and compare Black and White!!!!

 

[Themer]

Lol, If waning means averaging 50 and having a conversion rate of 5 hundreds to 1 fifty last year then the whole of the world is pretty crap at cricket. I'm actually speechless.

 

[King Pietersen]

LMFAO, you'd rather watch Strauss. It's only in Strausses last 2 innings that he's started to play with an attacking style. Pietersen's easily the most exciting batsman in the England team, and just because he's not as aggressive as he once was, that's not a reason to slag him off. I still love watching him bat, and he is far more sensible, and plays for the team far more. England would stand no chance against Australia without Pietersen, and dropping him will do nothing for his game, it won't bring back the 2005 Pietersen, he's a completely different player now, and a far better player.

You know Dan I hate to get into these type of responding to your post, but you call Sir Viv arrogant?? Maybe even more than KP!!! I am not going to debate how arrogant KP is or not, but if you want to compare his to that of Richards, maybe you should also compare the era in which they both played and compare Black and White!!!!

I didn't mean off the field, but Sir Viv was definitely as arrogant as KP when batting. He used to do exactly the same as KP, wonder across his stumps and whip the ball onto the on-side. Sir Viv isn't arrogant off the field, but you cannot tell me that he wasn't an arrogant batsman.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

I agree with Joe, there was something about Pietersen in his heyday that made you want to watch every ball he faced. Now it is different, I would rather watch Strauss. Saying he isn't as exciting now because he has learnt to control himself and not to get out to a silly shot is a hollow argument because he has been out to more silly shots since he waned than he was in his heyday. In any other year I would definitely drop him to relight the spark in him.

I disagree with that. I still find Pietersen very exciting. I want to watch every one of his innings. England are in pretty crap form at the moment and Pietersen is carrying the team. Why would you want to drop your best player because he is a bit arrogant?

 

[Skater]

I can't put my finger on it but there is something missing with Pietersen. He certainly isn't as dangerous and fearful as he was in his heyday. Thinking about it, the last true awesomeness I saw from him was in his double century against the West Indies in 2007, he lost it after that.

 

[King Pietersen]

Because Lee doesn't like arrogance, that's why. He has a problem with any kind of arrognace. He told me the other day that I'll make it nowhere if I'm arrogant, which frankly is idiocy. Lee doesn't like Pietersen, because of his character and his personality. It wouldn't matter if Pietersen was averaging 100, Lee would still want him out of the team to 'give him a kick up the backside'.

 

[Sureshot]

He isn't as exciting as he used to be.

Fads/trends fall away.

Talk of dropping KP is silly, any one who would consider dropping him, in current form, which for KP, he never really has a bad run, would be dopey, at best.

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Thoughts:

Good day for England, spoiled by one piece of fantastic bowling, a horror shot from Cook (though not a touch on Mr Hughes effort in South Africa!). We need a big total here, 550-600, one hour at them tomorrow night and we're singing. Bopara, Ambrose and Broad to follow these two good and in-form batsman, we should be able to do it.

KP is dropped off Edwards by Taylor, skied it and the fielder didn't take it, tricky, but he should have taken it.

 

[Themer]

You are literally crackers!

He hasn't had his heyday yet. And is doing alot better than this "heydey" you talk of from 2005