The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Arthur Crabtree]

On the same day Whitaker and Steely rule out Kevin's return, the Guardian reports Graves and KP are discussing this possibility.

Do these people not have telephones?

Is it possible that Graves has talked to Kevin, and felt he doesn't deserve the Strauss expletive?

[captaincolly]

The saga is increasingly baffling!
Apart from all the fallouts, mudslinging and score settling autobiographies, is KP actually likely to be worth a place in the team? He hasn't played first class cricket for ages, is definitely in the veteran category, has had a serious knee injury and the signs before the sacking were that he was probably past his best.

[Alviro Patterson]

They'll just call them division two runs.

If KP is true to his word and really wants a return to the England fold, his best chance is playing for a Division One County.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Probably not. But it's a loaded scenario, because the reason KP is so distant from a return is because he was told there was no possibility. So its remoteness doesn't really impact on the fairness of the situation. Which tells you how fouled up things are.

Other posters say that KP will struggle in CC. While that may be so in terms of motivation and the lack of big match adventure, KP has a crusade to fight. He's always scored heavily in CC, and I think he could again.

But, I don't think England have any real intention of picking him. While it would be damaging for Graves to restate that after his intervention,it would be better for everyone if he did. KP is wasting his twilight on the whims of ECB disorganisation. However touching is his desire to return.

[Alviro Patterson]

It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Graves stated that the selectors can not ignore a player, but here we have the Chair of Selectors saying that's exactly what they are going to be doing.

Decision time for Graves, does he crush the nonsense or simply be swallowed up by it.

Let the drama unfold, those who oppose KPs return speak like they have an England job for life when really it's anything but. Combined with further England failures, it's only giving Graves ammunition to swing the axe and comes out of it as the good guy.

[captaincolly]

They'll just call them division two runs.

If KP is true to his word and really wants a return to the England fold, his best chance is playing for a Division One County.

I agree. While there are a lot of very good bowlers in division 2, the quality of bowling attacks in the first division means easy runs are hard to get.
Presumably he would have offers to play in division 1, if he signs for Surrey it will be on reduced wages because his usual salary would take Surrey over the salary cap so he's obviously prepared to play for relatively modest money making him affordable to cash strapped counties. Personally I'd be happy to have him at Durham!

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think Hampshire were interested. It might say something that two of his former clubs are willing to have him back. I wonder if signing KP would be too much of a sideshow for the counties at the top end. And knowing he is only there to get his England place back, and that will only last a year (I expect). He could be a good influence on younger players and expose team mates to what it takes to score so many international runs. So there might be benefits.

[captaincolly]

Probably not. But it's a loaded scenario, because the reason KP is so distant from a return is because he was told there was no possibility. So its remoteness doesn't really impact on the fairness of the situation. Which tells you how fouled up things are.

Other posters say that KP will struggle in CC. While that may be so in terms of motivation and the lack of big match adventure, KP has a crusade to fight. He's always scored heavily in CC, and I think he could again.

But, I don't think England have any real intention of picking him. While it would be damaging for Graves to restate that after his intervention,it would be better for everyone if he did. KP is wasting his twilight on the whims of ECB disorganisation. However touching is his desire to return.

I agree. The mistake was in saying he would not be considered under any circumstances after the Ashes tour. Harmison & Hoggard were ditched after one bad test a few years ago ( I know Harmy returned for a swan song) and they were ignored despite performing well at county level and there must be many other examples of players who were dropped and not recalled despite producing the goods in domestic cricket. Even if KP was as poisonous an influence as has been claimed, there would have been legitimate excuses for just not picking him- planning for the future/rebuilding- without trashing his reputation and seemingly making him a scapegoat for the Ashes loss.
As I said in a previous post though, if he feels there is a glimmer of hope of a recall and is prepared to play for reduced wages, I would have him at Durham but that's not going to happen...although he did say in his book that Colly was his favourite batting partner

[Aidan11]

It's gonna be a KP summer one way or another.

[captaincolly]

It's gonna be a KP summer one way or another.

Yep, spectacularly incompetent even by ECB standards to allow KP to be the big story ahead of the Ashes.

[budgetmeansbudget]

It's gonna be a KP summer one way or another.

I don't think Pietersen really cares about playing for England again as long as he continues to make the headlines, day after day, week after week, month after after bloody boring month.

As long as his ego is fuelled, by England doing badly and the cries for his recall becoming more vocal, or appearing on tv and radio with people telling him how wonderful he is and what a disgrace it is he isn't in the current England lineup, thats all that really matters to him.

[sussexpob]

There isn't anything the ECB can do to take away the KP issue that will haunt them for years to come if England continue to under achieve as in recent times. There was too many people left disenfranchised from their heavy handedness who will fire that broadside at the setup everytime the team fail, such was the extent of the ECB's scapegoating of him.... after all, the rest of the people either got promoted, kept their jobs and or were re-hired, so the ECB voted with their feet.

This leaves them with one out, and that is to pick him and have him fail. If he gets picked and fails, no one has the KP card to play anymore, and every single person in the current setup can breathe a sigh of relief. If they pick him and he scores runs, they could also spin the "clemency" had an effect.

[budgetmeansbudget]

But not for the test team surely, the top six is fairly settled, and with Trott returning there's even less room for him.

[andy]

Graves has said it will be a new ECB under him.... changes are in the offing..

[Making_Splinters]

Graves is probably the only one benefitting from all that is going on.