Published: Mar 19, 2015, 03:59 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 19, 2015, 03:59 PM (IST)
Over the past decade, undoubtedly Kevin Pietersen has been one of the best batsmen in world. It’s a shame that England didn’t make use of his talent and dropped the stylish batsman and didn’t pick him up for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. England did pay a price for that but it seems they are not too keen to learn. (READ: Kevin Pietersen sets sights on the English cap, may miss IPL 8)
Pietersen had given hints that he is ready to pull himself out from the eighth edition of the Indian Premiere League (IPL), in order to earn a call again in the English team by playing county cricket. Despite being determined to do anything to earn a recall in the national side, selector James Whitaker has made it clear that the batsman is not a ‘part’ of the team’s future plans. The selector told BBC: “We haven’t had discussions at all about Kevin.”
Last month, the incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves said that the batsman could make a return for England, if he performed well in domestic cricket. (READ: Kevin Pietersen could make a comeback in England team)
“I know Colin very well, he is entitled to his opinion, but Kevin isn’t part of our plans,” said Whitaker, after naming England’s 16-man squad to tour West Indies.
Whitaker said that he is happy with the likes of Joe Root, Ian Bell and Gary Ballance and doesn’t want to reshuffle his middle-order unnecessarily.
Earlier in the day, as a Test Match Special commentator, Pietersen confirmed his desire to play county cricket this summer in a bid to win his place back in the English side. He said, “I would love to get county runs. If I can do anything that can help me get back into it for England then it’s something I want to do. I love playing for England.” (READ: The final standing in the groups and the line-up for the quarter-final)
Baffled Matthew Hoggard
Pietersen and current coach Peter Moores, have a torrid history and Matthew Hoggard, Pietersen’s ex-teammate told BBC: “What I don’t understand is that we’ve had one group of people saying he’s not going to play for England again and we’ve got Colin Graves saying that if that group of people change their mind he will stand by that. What I would like to happen is a definitive answer as to whether Kevin Pietersen can play for England and if the answer is yes, then there would be a list of criteria which he needed to fulfil to play for England again.”
