The Reintegration Thread

[sifter132]

I think the 'KP only wanting to play if England's winning' doesn't sound quite right to me. Why didn't he retire after the last World Cup then? Because since then England have been good. If he was really selfish why didn't he retire after he lost the captaincy? I think he's a better guy than he's made out to be.

The other factor here is crowds...if you're having a day at the cricket, who do you want to see coming in at #3: Trott or Pietersen? KP still commands fans at the turnstiles so that has to have at least some weight in whether he's accepted back into the top team or not. He's only just turned 32, so I can't see why he couldn't be fit enough or good enough for the 2015 World Cup. I don't think he should be an automatic selection in the next ODI XI that's named, but he's gotta be very close to the squad.

 

[War]

I entirely disagree England "need KP in all formats", sometimes an ego is more disruptive to the TEAM than his individual contribution, England are not a one man team and not consistent winners even with KP in the team so his value is not that high.

Which for of the game are speaking of here?. Is it ODIs?. If it is, i don't see how can say that.

KP is arguably England's greatest ever ODI batsman and if in general ENG haven't been consistent ODI winners with him in the team - it has mainly been because - the ENG ODI has been crap (although KP had a few years himself in ODIs when his form dipped).

He is way too outspoken, that is most certainly not what England needs. I think the statement re not retiring from ODIs alone is quite right, they don't need the headache of having to pick three different teams because people pick and choose their formats. While I am an advocate of having two teams for the long and (combined) shorter formats, that isn't ECB policy.

England without KP is like England without Beckham, a lot better than some can possibly put their minds to grasping

How is KP way too outspoken? Baring this incident and a few twitter outburst, Pietersen has always been in line. Even Graeme Swann recently came out supporting KP decision England news: Graeme Swann defends Kevin Pietersen one-day retirement | Cricket News | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

ENG need to flex with KP. Even if its a case as some are suggesting KP is trying to get out of New Zealand series next year, where some on NZ best players may miss it too, to play a full IPL season.

ENG can't have it both ways, in their talk of valuing all three formats since technically by resting Anderson and Broad during the final test vs Windies (although it was warranted) - that was devaluing that test, by not picking the best available players.

Haa @ the Beckham comparison. You cannot be seriously comparing the respective talents of two to the respective sporting teams.

KP is ENG's best player - Beckham was never England best football player. Get it right.

 

[Owzat]

Which for of the game are speaking of here?. Is it ODIs?. If it is, i don't see how can say that.

KP is arguably England's greatest ever ODI batsman and if in general ENG haven't been consistent ODI winners with him in the team - it has mainly been because - the ENG ODI has been crap (although KP had a few years himself in ODIs when his form dipped).

You're talking about his individual form, I am talking about his individuality not benefitting the ODI team in terms of results.

As for "how can say that", as easily as I did. It is the same base of players without him as it was with him, stints of persisting with Yardy and Shight apart.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, sometimes a team pulls together better when reliance is on a team effort rather than looking to mr ego all the time.

I'd suggest his value to the team is a lot less than players like Anderson, Cook, Trott, Broad and Swann for starters. I suppose at least he's not dropping six catches a series these days

How is KP way too outspoken? Baring this incident and a few twitter outburst, Pietersen has always been in line. Even Graeme Swann recently came out supporting KP decision England news: Graeme Swann defends Kevin Pietersen one-day retirement | Cricket News | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

He has said plenty, I'm not referring singularly to this particular decision

ENG can't have it both ways, in their talk of valuing all three formats since technically by resting Anderson and Broad during the final test vs Windies (although it was warranted) - that was devaluing that test, by not picking the best available players.

They will argue that playing players into injury and fatigue is equally devaluing a Test, and to some degree I would agree. England are also at the point at which even fans are beginning to believe the depth of England bowling is very strong - Anderson, Finn, Broad, Onions, Bresnan and Swann to name six.

Haa @ the Beckham comparison. You cannot be seriously comparing the respective talents of two to the respective sporting teams.

KP is ENG's best player - Beckham was never England best football player. Get it right.

You "get it right", plenty will disagree re Beckham, and I am talking historically not now and the growingly similar situation with Rooney, and so I question whether you're in a proper position to "call that". I take your "haa" and up it "haa x infinity". Sometimes it is as simple as being a psychological overdependence on a single player that stops the other cricketers/players realising said player is not the be all and end all, they are capable of scoring runs or taking wickets and so they should focus on their game not worry about said player's absence - as England did in a 4-0 waterwash* of the aussies

*waterwash is my new name for a drubbing where the only game a team didn't win was rain affected into a no result

 

[Owzat]

Pietersen is now hinting he might retire from Tests. The guy either wants to play for England or he doesn't, as I said before he's far too much to say and frankly he acts like the star player in the school team who isn't getting everything his own way.

 

[cricket_icon]

Pietersen threatens England exit

This is the article:

England v SA, 2nd Investec Test, Headingley, 5th day: Kevin Pietersen threatens England exit | Cricket News | England v South Africa | ESPN Cricinfo

Personally I'm getting sick and tired of Pietersens antics. I've always been a fan, he is a terrific asset and proved it once again with a stunning knock in the first innings of the second test but his recent decision to step out of the ODI/T20 game, then announce that he wants to be back in for a few games, once he realised the ECB were not going to bow to his wishes., must have taken it's toll on the England dressing room.

He says it is not about the money but he wants to skip the tour to NZ so he can play a full season of IPL...that is looking for the big money if you ask me. As an England player he should be honoured every time he puts on that white shirt, yet he cites wanting to spend more time with his family for leaving ODI cricket and skipping certain test matches...how much time will he spend with his family while he is in India? Now this threat of retiring from Test cricket is an obvious ultimatum to the ECB. I hope they, along with Flower and Strauss stay strong, remember no player is irreplaceable.

 

[puddleduck]

England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes team-mates behind Twitter account that is holding up new contract - Telegraph

Interesting

 

[cricket_icon]

^^^ That is good stuff. I might get back to twitter just for that.

 

[Owzat]

Better off without him by the looks of it, so self important that he even thinks his team "mates" are mocking him on tw*tter - he may be right, or just paranoid.

He is turning playing for his country into a right circus, wanting to quit one format, citing making way for younger players, thenbeing told he had to quit all limited overs, then doing a u-turn and now getting in such a paddy he is threatening to take his bat home altogether.

The mocking was inevitable and deserved. I bet the England team respect his ability but not the man.......................

 

[puddleduck]

Getting the parody twitter taken down is ridiculous. There's one called Molydeux which mocks game dev Peter Molyneux but posting ridiculous sounding games that sound like things he would say. He loves it, and positively encourages them. Really poor form from KP, if you can't laugh at yourself, then even I now think he should be told to sod off.

 

[Owzat]

Someone upset his applecart, I guess he takes it too personally which shows it touched a nerve and just what a tool he is. I guess other examples they probably aren't feeling so angry. If KP had laughed it off and let it run then people wouldn't be sure it was bang on the money.

I think it is rich that the whole England team should have to answer yes/no as to whether they were behind it. I'd refuse to answer on the grounds they have no right to throw unfounded accusations around (that it might be one of them)

 

[Lee1981]

Pietersen

Right what's the deal with KP then

I'm totally confused here at what he did or didn't do.

Also what the deal in the changing room has he literally fallen out with everyone or what?

Seems he has no allies at all

To me he is the best player we have by a million miles, so unless he has kidnapped someone's kid then he should be in the team no matter what he has done.

Anyone with any inside knowledge???

Hope this ain't the end of his England career, think Strauss is just p1ssed as he is pretty much finished and KP is still going strong.

Strauss out, KP back and Cook as captain,

 

[Sulaiman7]

No Kp has appealed in English cricket board that he wants to play the t20 world cup and they agreed and forgived him .

 

[barmyarmy]

Strange one to get all the facts together but it looks like the Swann/Anderson/Broad clique was being more vocal than usual about "Kev". The guy behind the KP genius twitter account is a mate and Stuart Broad's and Broad was there the night the account was set up. It's also no secret that Swann and KP don't get on.

The way I see it dressing room unity has been a problem for a while and the ECB have taken the opportunity of these texts to "send a message to Kevin" and drop him. This for me misses three important points:
1. Rigid management structure can't accommodate special players. Gower and Botham clashed repeatedly with Mickey Stewart when he was TCCB manager.
2. Dressing room unity it always a problem when you start losing. England have had a dismal year.
3. KP is the best player in the team. Despite the totally unfair position taken by the ECB regarding IPL participation he has not only agreed to make himself available for all formats but has also affirmed that he will miss the second half of IPL2013 to play in a Mickey Mouse test series against New Zealand.

I'm starting to think that should England lose this series then Strauss should go. He has failed with his own batting form, he has consistently failed with his negative captaincy tactics and now he has failed with the management of the biggest talent in the England team for a generation. No doubt he feels aggrieved that KP pointed out his short-comings but for me the team would be stronger with KP in and Strauss out.

I might write all this up into an article after the conclusion of the Lord's test.

 

[Lee1981]

KP and Swann don't get on?

Didn't realise that, must admit my interest in cricket certainly tails of once the ashes finishes and of course goes the other way once it starts up again.

I think a lot of the current team have got a bit big for there boots, KP has always been this way, but the others having been part of the current boom of the England team now are wanting there time in the spotlight.

Swann for one I feel should be concentrating on his own game which has dropped dramatically the past year at least.

I'd like to see Monty given another chance,

 

[barmyarmy]

Instead of or as well as? They ought to be play both in India really.