It’s happened. It’s finally happened. The voices. They’ve stopped.
Ever since his banishment into the international cricketing wilderness at the beginning of 2014, the whispers around how Kevin Pietersen should still be a part of the English squad have lingered in the background of almost every selection decision made by the ECB.
Every time the middle-order underperforms in a Test match, a chorus ensues of “Did you see the 355 not out that KP made for Surrey? How was that for a middle finger aimed straight at Andrew Strauss?”
Every time runs were a bit too hard to come by in a T20: “Did you see the knock KP played the other day for the Melbourne Stars? He called on live TV the area he was going to hit it for six, and then promptly did it!”
But it’s over. The ghost of KP has passed.
In my head at least.
England’s run to the final of World T20 – and the continued emergence of several young stars – should finally see the KP debate fall by the wayside.
In Joe Root (25 years old), Jos Buttler (25), Jason Roy (25), Alex Hales (27), Ben Stokes (24) and Eoin Morgan (29), they’ve got a batting line-up that can trouble anyone with their quality hitting power. England chased down 230 against South Africa, hitting Dale Steyn for 23 runs off an over in the process. Who does that?
Chris Jordan (27), David Willey (26), and Adil Rashid (28) offer variety, control, and an ‘X-Factor’ with the ball. The yorkers and wrong’uns delivered were a particular highlight.
The way they banded together during the World T20 was exceptional, despite wobbles against Afghanistan which could have ended their tournament. Following this scare they were too good for Sri Lanka, and out-classed New Zealand in the semi-final.
Unfortunately, they ran into Marlon Samuels in one of his rare superstar moods and Carlos Braithwaite in full beast-mode in the final.
That happens. It’s cricket.
Finishing as runners-up in the tournament continued some strong form in the last six months in the short-form of the game from the Poms.
It also puts a full-stop on KP.
There’s no denying he was a star. 8181 Test runs (23 centuries), 4400 ODI runs (9 centuries) and 1176 Twenty20 runs proves that. The man could turn a game in a session, an hour, and even an over.
And yes, he has been in spectacular form in the Big Bash and South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 competition.
But we can all move on now.
England, especially, can move on.
Have some peace.
Come to think of it, South Africa might now be drawn into the Pietersen dilemma; KP qualifies to play for them in 2018…
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While a premature retirement isn’t the solution, he or England want, he may be forced into it if he can’t maintain a long run of matches.
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