The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Alviro Patterson]

Kevin Pietersen, base price Rs 2 crore, sold to Rs 9 crore to to his previous franchisee Delhi Dare Devils. More than 4 times his base price.

The BBC Radio Four reporter this morning is play down this story, saying KP went for "only" £900,000....

Jealousy

or maybe the BBC Radio 4 reporter is more interested in Yorkshire signing Aaron Finch, now that is what you call a signing

[meninblue]

I won't be surprised if Delhi daredevils make KP as their captain.He is a star player and very experienced as well.

Teammate Dinesh Karthik on KP.
"KP is a legend and I am sure it will be great an experience playing and sharing the dressing room with a true match-winner like him."

[GarlicJam]

I'm sure there will be worse players in the IPL than Ian Bell...

What about all those South Africans and Aussies that no one has heard of- apart from other South Africans and Aussies?

But, I'd rather have Hales or KP.

Which ones?

Surprising that the likes of Hales and Wright didn't get snapped up. Due to ECB constrictions?

[meninblue]

I'm sure there will be worse players in the IPL than Ian Bell...

What about all those South Africans and Aussies that no one has heard of- apart from other South Africans and Aussies?

But, I'd rather have Hales or KP.

Bell has priced himself higher at this point of time for IPL.Bell will have to prove himself in FLT20.He has to play some match winnings knocks there.That is the only way he will be able to market himself better in global T20 tournaments.It's just not Bell who has priced himself higher given the alternatives available at their base prices.Even there are better alternatives to Alex,Luke etc and we saw franchisees picking the other alternatives than picking those English players.I said before the auctions that there were better alternatives to Alex for opening slots in this conditions at lesser base price and more IPL experience.So not surprised he wasn't picked as first choice player.Franchisees made sure they had better alternatives at lesser base price.The foreign core of the teams has been picked yesterday.Today the local core players will be picked.Then that will be followed by unsold players from yesterdays capped players auction again.

The lack of interest in franchisees to not pick English capped players apart form KP in first attempt can be attributed to:
(1)How badly the England T20 batting lineup failed miserably to even survive for 8 overs in all 3 matches.
(2)Then there is another problem that they will not be fully available for full IPL.
(3)Better alternatives to all England players apart KP at their base prices.
(4)Lesser IPL/Indian conditions experience as compared to other alternatives

All those players not picked in first attempt it in at least one of the 4 categories.Having said that,I expect 3 England players to get sold in second attempt atleast today.
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KP though has proved it again that he is the most versatile player from England.Can adapt to tests,ODI's as well as T20's very easily. That quality makes him marketable irrespective of the format.Be it tests, ODI's or T20's across the globe, he will be the most sought after pick .Plus he has captained England international team before.So that gives another advantage to him,especially him being a prolific T20 undroppable batsman in IPL.Also being a batsman, he is less likely to get injured and more chance to make him captain.

[D/L]

Only KP sold. Bit of a shame. It might have been useful if Hales and other T20/ODI players, particularly the younger ones, had been selected.

It has to be good news that no England player likely to be involved in international cricket this year will have his preparation ruined by taking part in the IPL.

[Alviro Patterson]

Only KP sold. Bit of a shame. It might have been useful if Hales and other T20/ODI players, particularly the younger ones, had been selected.

It has to be good news that no England player likely to be involved in international cricket this year will have his preparation ruined by taking part in the IPL.

English cricket becomes the winner, central contracted players could be available for as many as six County Championship matches before the Sri Lanka fixtures begin.

[meninblue]

Only KP sold. Bit of a shame. It might have been useful if Hales and other T20/ODI players, particularly the younger ones, had been selected.

It has to be good news that no England player likely to be involved in international cricket this year will have his preparation ruined by taking part in the IPL.

English cricket becomes the winner, central contracted players could be available for as many as six County Championship matches before the Sri Lanka fixtures begin.

In longer format yes, the longer county matches will help them.Very obvious.But Alex,Luke,Jade,Azhar ,Kieswetter who are not in pecking order for test squad but near ODI/T20 squads have lost.Bell not getting selected in IPL will help him as far as test matches preparation is concerned.

But in shorter formats they lost 4-1 and 3-0 in T20.So IPL would have helped them in those formats.So loss for some players as mentioned above.

However , majority of England players in auction were ODI and T20 probables,so overall imo it is a loss to them in terms of preparation for shorter formats as well as financial gains which could have got much better due to mroe contracts elsewhere had they performed well in IPL.

[Alviro Patterson]

Only KP sold. Bit of a shame. It might have been useful if Hales and other T20/ODI players, particularly the younger ones, had been selected.

It has to be good news that no England player likely to be involved in international cricket this year will have his preparation ruined by taking part in the IPL.

English cricket becomes the winner, central contracted players could be available for as many as six County Championship matches before the Sri Lanka fixtures begin.

In longer format yes, the longer county matches will help them.Very obvious.But Alex,Luke,Jade,Azhar ,Kieswetter who are not in pecking order for test squad but near ODI/T20 squads have lost.Bell not getting selected in IPL will help him as far as test matches preparation is concerned.

But in shorter formats they lost 4-1 and 3-0 in T20.So IPL would have helped them in those formats.So loss for some players as mentioned above.

However , majority of England players in auction were ODI and T20 probables,so overall imo it is a loss to them in terms of preparation for shorter formats as well as financial gains which could have got much better due to mroe contracts elsewhere had they performed well in IPL.

Likes of Hales, Wright, Dernbach and Keiswetter have not played much meaningful cricket in the winter. Red ball cricket will be more beneficial for players getting themselves up to scratch for the summer internationals than 20 over cricket.

[meninblue]

His ton in IPL versus Deccan chargers who had Steyn and Mishra as two prolific T20 wicket taking bowlers was a great knock.

KP ton.jpg

[D/L]

Likes of Hales, Wright, Dernbach and Keiswetter have not played much meaningful cricket in the winter. Red ball cricket will be more beneficial for players getting themselves up to scratch for the summer internationals than 20 over cricket.

Indeed it will. Any player with serious ambitions of playing for England should give the IPL a wide berth.

[Alviro Patterson]

Likes of Hales, Wright, Dernbach and Keiswetter have not played much meaningful cricket in the winter. Red ball cricket will be more beneficial for players getting themselves up to scratch for the summer internationals than 20 over cricket.

Indeed it will. Any player with serious ambitions of playing for England should give the IPL a wide berth.

Certainly if they have aspirations of making the test squad.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Colly is the latest to endorse KP, on the pitch and off the pitch.

[Robert]

Colly is the latest to endorse KP, on the pitch and off the pitch.

Hardly - he was pretty circumspect from what I read.

[Making_Splinters]

The comments by former cricketers are some what missing the point. When push came to shove it was nothing about KPs contribution to the team either on the field or off the field, just simply that he'd rubbed Cook up the wrong way and the ECB weren't having that.

[D/L]

Strange (and misguided) then for the ECB to let Pietersen spectacularly rub Strauss up the wrong way and not sack him afterwards.

I'd be surprised if he'd not rubbed several others up the wrong way too.