What to do with Pietersen?

[cricket_icon]

but all the players are backing him so obviously they like having him around

 

[War]

But problem is Dravid doesn't give statement like this:
The Ashes 2010-11: We won because I quit captaincy - Kevin Pietersen | Cricket News | Australia v England | ESPN Cricinfo

And what is wrong with this statement KP said?. If you where following the fortunes of English cricket between after the 2005 Ashes until the 2009 Ashes win. You would know that 2008/09 was a very dark period during that KP/Moores saga which lead to England losing a test series in the Caribbean.

So quite obviously what KP was saying in that article is if him & Moores had stayed on as skipper/coach until now, instead of the Strauss/Flower axis. England would have still England probably would not have developed so quickly as unit in the last 18 months & would not have won the Ashes, which as a England fan i think is very fair statement to make. Absolutely nothing ego like about that statement.

 

[Owzat]

Out for his sixth single figure score in his last eleven innings including two ducks. But for that one double he'd be dropped surely? Or are England so wrapped up in the theory "he'll come good" which is applied to too many. Need to be more objective, although those odd innings that account for well over 50% of their runs should be somehow rationalised ie if you just average out then it looks like they are in good form when in fact most of the time they're failing (good example is Key's 221 which adds heaps to his career average, even though it is still poor)

 

[Haarithan]

Just terminate his IPL contract that will restrict the amount of money he's receiving all over and he'll definitely come good .

The situation with the amount in his bank account is whats done him in.

The hunger has gone.

Spot on.

 

[Lee1981]

Drop him, make him feel like he aint important, if that dont sort him then we have to face facts that we have seen the best of kp, and we learn to live with that or we move on without him.

 

[Owzat]

I think he's just overly aggressive and because the pitches are flat he gets away with it to the extent he can easily average 47+ when his ability in tally with a brain could see him average 55+ easily.

The media may be on SLA watch, counting how many times KP gets out to a SLA, but they should really be counting how many times he gets himself out compared to getting a good ball where you couldn't really blame him

 

[cricket_icon]

great point owzat. especially his first innings dismissal at lords......he got himself out...he looks anxious at the crease and no matter how much he tells people he feels confident he obviously isnt.

 

[angryangy]

You mustn't forget that he's meant to be aggressive. There's just one case of him making a Test hundred with a strike-rate under 60. 16 out of 17 scores over 99, versus 16 out of 71 scores below 40 at that sort of strike rate. That might say he's just a tentative starter, but if that is the case, he's become more so over time and not to his benefit. A simpler argument is that he's at his best when the ball is flying to the boundary. Repeatedly.

He likes to get forward and hit across the line. It's a risky game that demands conviction. It's also a game that can yield particularly when the ball is just hinting away. He might well be confident, but to play his game, you can never have enough. He needs to be cavalier and impetuous, otherwise, it is like the Emperor's new clothes; he's standing on the pitch trying to conceal all his obvious vulnerabilities. He must play to score runs and completely believe that he can get away with it, because in spite of his flaws, he damn well can.

 

[Owzat]

great point owzat. especially his first innings dismissal at lords......he got himself out...he looks anxious at the crease and no matter how much he tells people he feels confident he obviously isnt.

What makes me laugh is if you compare him with Trott, ask who has the talent and who has the record. Trott is averaging something like 64 in Tests, KPs is on the decline and a lot of that is mental.

Both were dismissed cheaply 1st innings, Trott's wasn't clever but you can't say he got himself out either. I think KP should bat five or for his county, no doubt county captains will give him plenty of practice against SLAs as his perceived weakness. Problem is that level is probably not going to test him sufficiently and may just give him easy runs to such a degree he doesn't think there is a problem.

angryangry - noone says KP can't be aggressive, but controlled aggression will serve the team better. He doesn't need to hit every ball and he doesn't need to hit every ball from the first one he faces. In fact he rather makes bowling at him a lot easier because bowlers don't have to try something different, they can just tempt him into getting himself out.

Maybe the best solution is Goochie coaching him in the art of opening, get him into the habit of leaving the balls alone he doesn't have to play early in his innings. Get his feet moving then he can whack the bowlers to all parts. If he can reign in until he's into double figures through ones, twos and any fours of his legs, then he should have been in long enough and faced enough balls to be "in" enough to up his tempo.

He will live in the shadow of true greats forever if he maintains a one dimensional game, be another Lance Klusener (in the sense he's remembered for his batting but wasn't a true legend among batsman) Trott could become a true great in the image of someone like Dravid. I suspect both Trott and Cook have moved ahead of KP in terms of not only importance to the side, but also in terms of likelihood of becoming a legend. At the moment KP is treading water and living off his reputation more than building on it

 

[sifter132]

Well to answer the question, I'd drop him!

I don't like the 'continue with our XI at all costs' mentality that happens these days despite guys having obvious form problems (*cough* Cameron White *cough cough*) I think at the start of every series a selection panel should identify your top 7 or 8 batsmen - regardless of form (listed on talent and previous importance to the team). So for England you'd have Strauss, Cook, Trott, Bell, KP, Bopara, Morgan as your 7 (your 8th might be Hildreth?). Then just simply pick the 6 who are in the best form, so on that basis KP and Hildreth miss out. They would get over it - they know they are in the top 8 and they know that with runs they could get back into the XI next series. Simple.

 

[Ahmad94]

Guys. Everyplayer is different. I think giving him captaincy might make him more responsible and he will proform more. Trott is on a high and Kevin has has his days. The form will come. You have to trust your legends

 

[Haarithan]

I think giving him captaincy might make him more responsible

England news: Captaincy not the 'best thing' for Pietersen - Anderson | England Cricket News | ESPN Cricinfo

Couldn't agree more with Jimmy.