What about smashing 186 at Mumbai or 150-odd in Galle to singlehandedly win Tests (ok, Cook assisted the Mumbai effort) - is that not a team man?He's all me, me, me. Whilst I appreciate that he's a singular talent, this is a team game, his comment of "that's the way I play" just doesn't wash. Back in 1987 Ian Botham batted five hours for 51 not out to save the Oval test. Now that's a team man!
absolutely agree, compare the situation with Kohli for India, no one cares about his ****yness on the pitch becuase he is their best player so why is it any different for KP?What about smashing 186 at Mumbai or 150-odd in Galle to singlehandedly win Tests (ok, Cook assisted the Mumbai effort) - is that not a team man?
Smashing 158 at the Oval when the rest of the top order **** themselves to win the Ashes for the first time in 18 years. Selfish ****.
Big difference is the fact that Kohli is 10 years younger and KP's best days are behind him.absolutely agree, compare the situation with Kohli for India, no one cares about his ****yness on the pitch becuase he is their best player so why is it any different for KP?
Yes, i take that, but name me a player in the England team who is capable of taking his place..it would be different if there were three players form the lions that were scoring bucket loads of runs and being kept out by KP but i cant see that in this circumstance..imho, this was purely down to the fact that Cook and Giles cant manage him, coupled with jealousy by people who dont have a inch of his talent..Big difference is the fact that Kohli is 10 years younger and KP's best days are behind him.
As much as I love KP I can understand why they have got rid as he would be on borrowed time anyway just because of age and his performances have dropped off in recent times. The odd flash of brilliance but very little else.
Clearly they did. But pointing to good individual performances as evidence that someone is a good team player is so ridiculous. Largely the team aspect of cricket occurs behind the scenes. In the planning, in the lead up and in the aftermath of a match.i can see your point, but wouldnt you agree those individual performances were to save the team and get the victory for the team ?
Funnily enough, I think most people believe that making runs is often in the interest of the team.i can see your point, but wouldnt you agree those individual performances were to save the team and get the victory for the team ?
Isn't every good innings a feat of individual brilliance though?Nothing like a few bits of individual brilliance to underline how much of a team man someone is.
Something has to have happened in Australia that made Pietersen's position within the team untenable.I think it's just really hard for us to say either way from the outside.
It's entirely possible that Pietersen, while a better batsman than whoever will replace him, really does make the team less likely to win with him in than out of it due to how he acts. I personally think it's probably unlikely, but you do have to do what's best for the team and we don't really know what goes on in that dressing room. If England are more likely to win series without him than with him then he shouldn't be playing. I think it was a case of him being deemed worth it when he was making a lot of runs, and now not so worth it when the team is struggling a bit and he's not making many.
Of course it's also possible that the hierarchy have just used the poor performances of the team as a perfect opportunity to get rid of him because they dislike him.
It's hard to say either way IMO. Fair enough to have an opinion, but the strong stances people seem to have on it confuse me. It's something we don't really know much about either way.
I don't want to believe that because that's pathetic.Nah I doubt it. Reckon they just decided now is the best time to get rid of him and thought they could use him as something of an #Escapegoat after such a horrible Ashes series.