The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Kim]

Now confirmed by ECB. No central contract for KP

[yuppie]

So that means KP can play as much as he likes in the IPL, BBL ext. Is this not what KP wanted right from the start?

I also take it that ECB can still select him if they want to? SO in theory evryone should be happy?

[m@tt]

Sensible decision. Even if they had offered him one,chances of it being signed are non existent.

[meninblue]

If people were judged in history on such means then I would agree, the truth is no one really remembers much of the problems or troubles of a team, only the legacy of their achievements.

If i would compare KP with anyone then it is Vinod. Both compared with games greats. Vinod was being compared with Sachin throughout his teens and international career. He was a better batsman than KP IMO. He is remembered for reasons another than his skills, by me and those who know slightly more about him other than his cricketing records and skills . Like KP some Mumbaites think that Vinod was not handled properly. KP compared with England's best players. Both had very disruptive behavior and issues with their captains, coaches and team mates. Both dropped/ sidelined gradually as the thinktank had enough off their off field behavior. For fans, they are not affected by team unity etc, the team is. As i have given the example of Vinod who was a better player than KP but still not considered in team. ECB are not the only board who value team unity above skills BCCI values it more. BCCI have sidelined more better cricketers than KP.

We have also seen how Pakistan a team of great cricketers (as good as KP or better) have struggled due to team unity problems . There is no point of having talent if they run in directions opposite to each other. I am referring to Waqar, Wasim, Inzamam, Malik etc. the trend the seniors set affectes team performances in long run as a disruptive trend is set as platform for the new comers. We are seeing how Pakistan are struggling even after their retirement as same problems affect thsi new generation team as well.

Now confirmed by ECB. No central contract for KP

Fair enough, a player who has been dropped so recently was unlikely to get one. Also ECB has probably considered that KP is signing for other jobs like commentating in World Twenty20 when dropped from squad. Likewise he may even do so if he is dropped again. Then they are also aware that he might skip international matches to play in IPL or as could be the case likewise he may some day skip international matches for some other T20 domestic tournament. Maybe they want to monitor his commitment to international matches and team unity. If they are satisfied they might offer a central contract next year. But the improvement has to come from both. if KP improves in non cricketing aspects then ECB must definitely offer him a central contract next year.

[greyblazer]

Kambli? If the BCCI was so much after him he wouldn't have played his last international match four years after he was first dropped in 96. There is one more major reason why Kambli got dropped and that is something called the short ball. In his first few series he was up against England, Zimb and SL. Now you're thinking about couple of average attacks and a minnow.

The first time Kambli played a decent attack was in 94/95 against WI and he flopped miserably against the short ball as he averaged 10!! People may wonder how can I call WI attack as just decent? The reason is Amby pulled out of the tour and Bishop was out with an injury. It wasn't like Kambli got out to say Walsh but even Kenny Benjamin got him plenty of times and maybe in a few onedayers even Cuffy troubled him. Now Kenny Benjamin was just a honest trier. If you go to youtube you may get to see some of Kambli's awkward dismissals against the short ball.

Manjreker who knows a thing or two about Kambli and cricket believes that was the main problem too. In an article in cricinfo he said that when SRT and Kambli were touted as great prospects there were murmurs even then that Kambli was suspect against the short ball.

Manjreker on twitter a few months back,

"Vinod Kambli's test career was short for one important reason, he did not like fast bowling...Rohit's issue is different"

https://twitter.com/sanjaymanjrekar/sta ... 9586865153

Kambli was dropped after the 96 WC but he came-back into the one-day team. Now the problem for him was Gangs and Dravid had already established themselves in the middle order in tests so it was hard for him to break into the test side. I still remember though there was a tournament in which Kambli replaced even India's future captain Gangs for a few games. If BCCI was so much after him they wouldn't have allowed it to happen.

Kambli's one-day average which was in the high 40's dropped to low 30's before he was dropped forever in 2000. Lack of discipline or whatever may have been one of the reasons but there was also something called short ball that led to him being dropped. I would remember Kambli as someone who had the talent but also as someone with a big question mark over how he played short pitch stuff.

People also forget a certain Indian captain was said to be a disruptive character on his 1st tour to OZ 91/92 and seniors wanted him to be thrown out. He also had a public spat with Greg. Last I heard he captained Ind. side to success and did well as a batsman.

Pakistan? Now I have to think of Mark Waugh's autobiography. There was this crucial 92 WC encounter between OZ and Pak. Mark Waugh, Border and others who just glanced at what their opponents were doing before the match were very surprised. Few of them were wearing T shirts and were chatting, there was another group which had just come to the ground and some players were even missing. It looked like a team hit by groupism. Maybe Pakistan's way of training before the match

Result of the match? Pakistan thrashed OZ and as a result OZ were out of the tournament and Pak. went one stop closer to reaching the semis. You can also think about 97 CU series in OZ. Those days after the WC, the tri series in OZ was the 2nd most prestigious one-day tournament. Going into the tournament Pak. had those usual suspects in the side like Akram, Younis, Mushy, Saqlain, Afridi, Sohail and co. If on one hand Akram and Younis didn't look eye to eye then those days Sohail was said to be keen on ousting Akram as the captain so that he could become the captain of the side. On the field though the Akram led Pak. unit beat OZ and WI and won the cup. Even when Pak. arrived in England in 92, Younis and Akram weren't on talking terms but they beat England in tests with both Younis and Akram doing an outstanding job with a ball in hand on a cricket field!

Now not for a moment I'm saying that any team should be like Pak. because the disunity in that side is always insane but with Pak. many times they played well on a cricket ground and that is what matters in the end.In-spite of not playing at home I see that even now they are ranked a creditable fourth in tests

[shankycricket]

Kambli better batsman than KP? On what basis? On the basis of his record in 20 Tests compared to KP who has played 88 Tests and made the likes of Steyn and Warne look mediocre? He might have been a more talented batsman but there is a difference between being a "more talented" batsman being "better". Hope people understand that.

[shankycricket]

IIRC Kambli played in the 2000 Knockout Trophy.

[greyblazer]

The way Kambli played against even decent fast bowlers (Kenny Benjamin, Cuffy, Mathews) it didn't seem like he was more talented. Maybe was more skilful against spin but most Indian batsmen are superb against spin.

[greyblazer]

IIRC Kambli played in the 2000 Knockout Trophy.

His last match.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65900.html

[shankycricket]

Kambli's test averages


Against England : 106
Against NZ : 21
Against SL : 66
Against WI : 11
Against Zim : 227

16 out of the 17 Tests played in the subcontinent. Not as if he did well against a fairly average England attack in England either. He bullied them in India. And could not handle WI and NZ even on Indian pitches. His record against SL shows that he was a good player of spin but again, a fairly small sample size. For a better judgement of Kambli at international level, look at his ODI record, which is pretty average.

To even put him in the same sentence as KP defies sanity. A better comparison for Kambli with an English player would be Ravi.

[greyblazer]

Now let us not get into an argument regarding KP V Kambli

[shankycricket]

Now let us not get into an argument regarding KP V Kambli

Indeed! Its a no contest

Anyways, the signs look good given that KP still hasn't given any interviews since his exile.

[shankycricket]

Morgan is not a part of the Test squad and he has a Central Contract whereas Bairstow, who is a part of the Test side only has an Incremental contract?


I thought the central contracts were meant for Test players with limited overs specialists given incremental contracts?

[greyblazer]

The key point is Kambli or anyone else which includes Gangs played for their team after there were issues about their lack of discipline. Also as I said even with so much disunity Pak. was successful in the 90's. Now it doesn't mean that any side should be like Pak. but it shows in the end it is all about how a team performs on the field.

So will anyone care whether Younis and Akram were treating each other as enemies in the dressing room in England 92? Everyone remembers them for how well they bowled as a pair to help Pak. defeat England in England.

[shankycricket]

The key point is Kambli or anyone else which includes Gangs played for their team after there were issues about their lack of discipline. Also as I said even with so much disunity Pak. was successful in the 90's. Now it doesn't mean that any side should be like Pak. but it shows in the end it is all about how a team performs on the field.

So will anyone care whether Younis and Akram were treating each other as enemies in the dressing room in England 92? Everyone remembers them for how well they bowled as a pair to help Pak. defeat England in England.

The number of beers you have with your teammate is more important these days, apparently.