Kevin Pietersen – ECB’s adopted problem child – ups and downs in 2012 – Part II
Continued from Part I...
Kevin Pietersen has been at odds with the board since quitting limited overs cricket over suggestion of his desire to play a complete IPL season with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754.
July 13: KP contemplates over reversing one-day retirement
The gangling top-order batsman sensationally opened door for a comeback in limited-overs international cricket, stating he would "love to play for another three or four years in all forms of cricket."
Pietersen's representative had held talks with the ECB about reversing his limited overs retirement to allow his inclusion in the world T20 squad. But no progress could be made as Pietersen refused from compromising over playing a full IPL season next year.
July 18: KP omitted from World T20 squad
Pietersen was left out of England’s provisional squad for the World T20 Championship, to be held in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758, in September this year. "I think it's a shame for cricket fans," said his agent.
August 4: KP plays a match saving innings at Headingley
Pietersen scored a brilliant match-saving 149-against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 at Headingley, to help his side draw the second Investec Test of the three-match series.
August 6: KP threatens England exit
Pietersen revealed in an emotional press conference, post Headingley Test, that he was contemplating over retiring from Test cricket as well, because of dressing room politics, adding that the South Africa series finale, at Lord’s could be his last Test
appearance for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013.
August 10: The Texting controversy
Situation became further worse for the star batsman after ECB launched a probe into the claims made by a newspaper that Pietersen had sent text messages with derogatory comments about coach http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026, during the second Test at
Leeds, Headingley.
August 11: KP comes out of limited overs retirement
While the ECB was probing the text controversy, Pietersen made another volte-face in his cricketing career, by coming out of ODI retirement and making himself available for England selection in all three formats of game, and even for this month’s ODI series
against on tour Proteas.
“I've had a change of heart because I love playing cricket for England,” said the Natal-born hard-hitting right-handed batsman in a video posted on YouTube.
"(I'll play in the) One Day Internationals against South Africa in a couple of weeks, the T20 World Cup, hopefully, if they select me for the squad," he added further.
August 12: KP dropped for Lord’s Test following texting controversy
Most recently, the Natal-born 32-year-old prolific batsman has been axed from England’s Test squad for the third and final Test against South Africa, starting on Thursday at Lord’s, over the texting controversy.
“Whilst we’ve made every attempt to find a solution to enable Kevin to be selected we have sadly had to conclude that, in the best interest of the team, he will miss the Lord's Test,” stated managing director of England cricket, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hugh-Morris-c63550.
To sum up, the current dispute between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 and the ECB is a battle that will leave behind only losers – ECB will be deprived of a linchpin of the team that is currently leading the perch of international cricket, and KP himself will no longer
have an opportunity to play Test match cricket, on which rests his real legacy in the game.
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