The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Gingerfinch]

Maybe Sambit has never played sport before?

[ddb]

Very balanced article that. Annoyed at KP for the IPL stuff, annoyed at the ECB for their handling and even questioned the media. Hard to disagree with anything.

[sussexpob]

"Unity and stability are overrated, great teams are built around great players"

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 78383.html

Indeed, an thoughtful and sensible article

[Gingerfinch]

Yes, very sensible!

[mikesiva]

"A full season of the IPL over Tests for England? What was he thinking?"

A crucial factor in the above statement is how much KP can earn for every full season of the IPL...1.3 million a season! It's hard to argue with anyone who can earn that kind of money in the latter stages of his career.

How old is KP now? 32?

[Arthur Crabtree]

The 'full season' was an ECB leak. We don't know how genuine a proposition this was.

[Kim]

Why wasnt it denied?

I wouldnt think the ECb would leak lies.

[Arthur Crabtree]

KPs stance was that he wasn't going to talk about his future until after Lord's. The ECB suspension rather overtook that.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Though I'd guess that this was one of many possibilities mentioned, and probably the most extreme. Whatever, it was a very transient bargaining point. And shortly afterwards he did publicly say he would play all formats for England. Subsequently overtaken by the text story.

[OffStumpYorker]

the Talks will probably take place over tomorrow/wednesday, but with the T20 squad to be announced tomorrow he not going to be there.

I really do think they will suspend his central contract and give him time to decide what he wants to do, and put some space between him and the rest of the dressing room.

Almost like a trial seperation in a divorce, possibly opening the door for him to play in the ahes next year if things go well.

[Kim]

KPs stance was that he wasn't going to talk about his future until after Lord's. The ECB suspension rather overtook that.

Thatw as his stance in his press conference where he did a lot of tallking, including complaining about leaks - without denying them.

Its the timing of his ODI retirement that still puzzles me most.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I don't think he talked about his future or contract negotiations in that press conference. He talked about how isolated he felt and how persecuted he felt by the press.

Surely the timing of his ODI retirement was down to the 16 ODIs lined up this summer? Even i felt daunted by that lot.

[Making_Splinters]

Listening to TMS yesterday lunch was enlightening, I didnt agree with what was being said by some of the writers except that KP has a long road back. Sadly we'll never know the exact contents of the texts as all parties involved will (if they have a modicome of intelligence), have deleted them.

But the press seem to have been very well briefed about their contents which makes you think that the SA camp have taken a degree of satisfaction in them getting out to the public, one can only imagine smith grinning from ear to ear about how events unfolded.

I just feel that if SA did release these to the press intentionally then they have gone down in my estimation as there are ways of winning, its a shame the press dont name names, though thats usually a general coverall for press suposition.

We might actually agree on something in this entire mess here OSY!

[Alviro Patterson]

Maybe Sambit has never played sport before?

Sambit's theory only applies if a team has great players and i'm thinking in the lines of when Australian dominated world cricket. England don't have a team full of word beaters at present but team unity and stability is why England have enjoyed recent success. The going has got tough for England yet it's the supposedly star player who has thrown a wobbler, there are players in the team who are underperforming and the last thing they need is to be even more unsettled.

[OffStumpYorker]

M_S, I dont think we're poles apart, just I have different views and takes on things, which extend beyond message boards. I like to think I take an unemotional view of things, sort of a cold hard analysis.

Is england better with KP on the field, yes, are they better in the current situation with him in the dressing room, no. And it doesnt do either side any good.

I think the The Divorce analogy is very apt given the situation, and time apart will be good for both sides.

If nothing else Strauss may well be out by this time next year and cook in his place.