Kevin Pietersen back in the fold for England’s tour of India – Cricket News Update
Bringing about an end to star England batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806’s prolonged exile from the national team, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced his inclusion in the squad for the upcoming tour of India, drawing the prolonged stand-off between
the player and the board to a close.
“We are pleased to welcome a player of Kevin's proven international calibre back into the Test squad for such an important Test series,” read the statement by chief selector http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 was due to return to England
near the time of the second Test against India (owing to the birth of his child), the team would “benefit from having an extra batsman in the squad” going on to add that “all players who were originally selected for the tour will fly out as planned next week.”
Given the dramatic progression of the incident, which stretched over a period of 73 days, the statement comes across as somewhat anticlimactic. The stand-off between Pietersen and the board was triggered by his retirement from international limited-overs
cricket earlier this year. A keen participant in T20 competitions such as the Indian Premier League, the announcement led many to question Pietersen’s commitment to the England team.
The 32-year-old further aggravated the situation during http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757’s tour of England this summer, where, despite having scored a match-saving century in the second Test of the 3-match series against the Proteas, he called a press conference during which
he hinted at his strained relationship with the ECB and his England teammates.
However, it was the text message controversy that led to Pietersen being axed from the team. The right-hander was revealed to have sent questionable text messages to members of the visiting South African team, alleged to contain either derogatory remarks
about then Test skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362, or tactical advice.
Excluded from the line-up for the final Test of the series (which the Poms went on to lose), Pietersen was also not named in the squad for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20, where England failed to defend their title. However, a series of talks with the management
led to a reconciliation, and ECB chairman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Charles-Giles-Clarke-c49957 announced that Pietersen would be considered for selection once he had undergone a “reintegration” programme. The batsman was also granted an ECB central contract earlier this month. Meanwhile, speculations
were rife about whether Pietersen would make it back into the squad in time for the all-important Test series in India.
Looking to further the reintegration process, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hugh-Morris-c63550 explained that the ECB had been eager to ensure Pietersen had face-to face meetings with officials from team management (Flower), as well as the more senior players
in the squad (newly-appointed Test captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750.
“The meetings were constructive and cordial and all outstanding issues have been resolved,” Morris confirmed after the conclusion of the meetings recently. “All the England players and management are now keen to draw a line under this matter and fully focus
on the cricketing challenge that lies ahead in India.”
Currently in South Africa with his IPL team, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils, for the ongoing Champions League Twenty20, Pietersen has been given leave to see the tournament through, before joining the England team for the tour of India, which kicks off in November.
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