Kevin Pietersen’s England career was ended because of a total loss of trust between him and the team’s management, according to former captain Andrew Strauss.
The England and Wales Cricket Broad (ECB) announced the end of Pietersen’s association with England earlier this week, citing a need for a new “team ethic and philosophy” after the 5-0 Test series defeat in Australia.
The ECB is yet to fully explain its reasons for deciding to jettison Pietersen, but Strauss believes it was the inevitable consequence of a breakdown in trust.
“Without trust, the team environment is stillborn,” he wrote in British newspaper the Sunday Times.
“It is for this reason that Kevin Pietersen’s international career had to be brought to an end.
“The media have been searching for a ‘smoking gun’. Everyone is looking for disciplinary problems, bust-ups and character clashes, but they are looking for the wrong thing.
“The smoking gun is the total absence of trust.”
Strauss identified Pietersen’s dismissal as England captain five years ago as the beginning of the breakdown.
He also said that efforts to reintegrate the South Africa-born batsman into the team after he was found to have sent derogatory text messages about Strauss to opposition players were “a little like marriage counselling”.
On Pietersen’s role in the recent Ashes whitewash, Strauss added: “What happened in Australia from November onwards, when the heat of the furnace was fixed on the embattled side, was that old grievances came back to the surface. Past history weighed too heavily. Trust still did not exist.
“His relationship with English cricket has been like an illicit affair. Full of thrills and excitement, but destined to end in tears.”
No thanks.
AlanKC
Guest
I'd have permanently punted him over the texts but they brought him back in. Having done that, unless he's really disgraced himself (in a worse way), they should stick with him and address their man management issues. Based on the selective leaks from the pommie establishment I can't see what he's now done that he should be booted for - it smacks of a square up and blame deflection for mine.
Annie Weatherly-Barton
Guest
Strauss is establishment and therefore agrees with establishment. This fiasco was brought about by the Management or lack of it. It was Cook and Prior who called for the 'SECRET" meeting so the team could say what they felt about Flower. They all had their say including Prior. Clearly Eoin Morgan was so angry that he called Prior a "liar" and accused him of "stabbing Pietersen in the back!" Moreover it was Pietersen who was willing to tell Flower what he thought, after Cook and Prior went running off to Flower to inform on the players. So much for dressing room being sancrosant. Vaughan had no trouble with KP so why did you Mr Strauss? Just poor management and a bunch of Old Farts aka ECB who are ruining our national cricket. We have been made to look like a laughing stock throughout the world of cricket. I would rather take notice of Vaughan, Flintoff, Alec Stewart, and of course Swann and Broad who were there at the time. One thing is for sure. The Australians would have known how to handle KP. After all they handled one of the allegedly troublesome player, the brilliant Shane Warne. He wouldn't have stood a chance in England and look what we would all have missed. Arguably the best king of spin bowler of all time! Good for you Australia! You know how to hold on to brilliant players. Unlike us who just throw great talent away as if it comes along every week. Hope you learn from our mistake and keep hold of the so-called awkward players.
CoverPoint
Guest
"Just what kind of trust has KP broken?" You don't think the Textgate affair was a breach of trust?
Robbo
Guest
Just what kind of trust has KP broken? That maybe he thinks that Cook is a crap captain? Welcome to the club Kevin! Is it just me, or could Cook go a long way to becoming a better captain by sorting the KP mess out himself, getting one of the top 5 bats in world making runs again!
GD66
Guest
Wow, I doubt the battle of the egos would survive the pre-season camp and make the first test !
Vustro
Guest
Come home KP the is no 4 vacancy in the no 1 test team, just imagine the explosive partnership between KP & AB devilliers