It's Tough Being Me - The Kevin Pietersen Story

[Cabinet96]

but if you read some other comments, one would assume KP was the only one to fail in the Ashes. He still outperformed all thos batsmen that are still in the team.

He was also the oldest one of them and the only guy anyone else had any issues with. It is kind of annoying when you see people refer to him as our best player so liberally. I would've kept him in the team on cricketing reasons, but Cook, Bell, Broad and Anderson had all been contributing more in the previous year or two. I don't doubt that if Pietersen was England's best player, he'd probably still be around. He was around under Flower for nearly five years. When you here questions such as "would you rather win with KP or lose without him?" it really frustrates me. It's not so black and white.

 

[Furball]

Ponting is not a person with chips on his shoulder.

Well he certainly captained like it.

 

[Spark]

I think it's pretty clear post-retirement that Ponting simply says what's on his mind tbh. Clarke found that out, for instance.

 

[Furball]

I'd add 'selfish' before that (think of the number of times he got out when well set, and dominating the bowling, to a self indulgent shot without a thought for the team)

This criticism really makes no sense. If you want Pietersen to be the domineering, swashbuckling batsman who can potentially turn matches your way in the space of a session, then you have to accept that occasionally he is going to get out in ways that will look incredibly dumb.

And Pietersen getting out playing aggressively is the complete opposite of selfish anyway. A selfish player wouldn't lose his wicket trying to score quick runs, a selfish player would play for his own landmarks and take less risks in order to get some red ink.

 

[Spark]

Is KP getting out in annoying ways that much worse than Cook nicking off all the time?

 

[Furball]

Is KP getting out in annoying ways that much worse than Cook nicking off all the time?

Exactly. I'd argue his worst dismissals (particularly to left arm spin) was when he was playing down the wrong line with an angled bat and getting bowled/rapped on the pads. That's a much worse mode of dismissal than getting an attacking shot slightly wrong and finding a fielder on the rope.

 

[Cabinet96]

Is KP getting out in annoying ways that much worse than Cook nicking off all the time?

In the end, no. It's just frustrating when it seemed like he was on top. What gripped me the most was probably when it seemed like he was trying to win personal battles with opposition captains when they set strange fields to him, such as his dismal first dig at the Gabba last year.

 

[Spark]

Adelaide? Gabba he hit basically the only fielder reasonably close on the onside. Adelaide, on the other hand, had three short mids...

 

[OverratedSanity]

Way too much was made of KP's dismissals tbh. Cook himself holed out hooking at Adelaide I think

 

[Biryani Pillow]

This criticism really makes no sense. If you want Pietersen to be the domineering, swashbuckling batsman who can potentially turn matches your way in the space of a session, then you have to accept that occasionally he is going to get out in ways that will look incredibly dumb.

And Pietersen getting out playing aggressively is the complete opposite of selfish anyway. A selfish player wouldn't lose his wicket trying to score quick runs, a selfish player would play for his own landmarks and take less risks in order to get some red ink.

There is a big difference in getting out to justified aggressive shots and playing frankly ludicrous shots as Pietersen often did. Loose shots happen but he would play some shots that were well beyond loose and often looked premeditated.

And it was selfish because he would have been scoring comfortably quickly enough in his normal style but still get out through something idiotic just because he wanted to. with no thought for the team.

 

[Cabinet96]

Way too much was made of KP's dismissals tbh. Cook himself holed out hooking at Adelaide I think

That was legit the first time I've seen him get out hooking tbf. People rightly gave Prior and Broad stick for there crazed hooking the next morning.

 

[Cabinet96]

Adelaide? Gabba he hit basically the only fielder reasonably close on the onside. Adelaide, on the other hand, had three short mids...

Yeah maybe that's it. Got out caught midwicket first test, so they stacked loads at Adelaide and he still tried to smack it past them?

 

[OverratedSanity]

That was legit the first time I've seen him get out hooking tbf. People rightly gave Prior and Broad stick for there crazed hooking the next morning.

Yeah, but seen in the context of the series, it was horrible, whether it's the first time he's done it or whatever. Came at a point where England obviously needed to bat a long time to save the test. Completely braindead shot and because he's not someone you'd associate with that kind of a shot, and because of all the fallout regarding KP, every bad shot KP played just got magnified in hindsight. Cook, Prior,KP they all played some shockers.

 

[Adders]

**** off, this post cannot be serious.

Lol, you really don't mean that and you know it.

TBH it was a tongue in cheek comment, but in all seriousness, if you weigh up what he has brought to English cricket over the last 9 years against the trouble he has caused...........were we really that blessed that he came to us?

Right here right now I certainly wish he was South Africa's problem.

 

[sledger]

The grass is always greener etc...

 

[Spark]

TBH it was a tongue in cheek comment, but in all seriousness, if you weigh up what he has brought to English cricket over the last 9 years against the trouble he has caused...........were we really that blessed that he came to us?

Right here right now I certainly wish he was South Africa's problem.

Go look at the number of important Tests and series he's won for you and come back to us. Very, very few players in this day and age can claim to match that.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah, but seen in the context of the series, it was horrible, whether it's the first time he's done it or whatever. Came at a point where England obviously needed to bat a long time to save the test. Completely braindead shot and because he's not someone you'd associate with that kind of a shot, and because of all the fallout regarding KP, every bad shot KP played just got magnified in hindsight. Cook, Prior,KP they all played some shockers.

It's usually such bread and butter for him though. I'd never seen him deal with a bouncer any other way, how do we know he even knows how to duck under it?

 

[GIMH]

Go look at the number of important Tests and series he's won for you and come back to us. Very, very few players in this day and age can claim to match that.

On the one hand yeah but on the other is it really more than Cook, Anderson, Broad, Swann?

Maybe it is but, and this is more a continuation of what cab was saying than reference to your post, the whole 'best player' thing disrespects the that guys who have done so much for the team

I defo wouldn't rather he never played for us though. What a player.

 

[Adders]

Go look at the number of important Tests and series he's won for you and come back to us. Very, very few players in this day and age can claim to match that.

Could you have possibly worded that any more dismissively? Spark, I've watched every inch of KP's career and was privileged to be there for every ball of an innings a lot rank in his top 3 or 4 (Adelaide 2010) I'm well aware of what he has done for England with the bat......so I don't feel any necessity to go do any homework and report back to the CW brains trust.

We'll have to see how this sorry mess pans out to make full judgement but for all his brilliance and match winning innings of the past, they came with a hefty price. All I'm saying is the balance between pros and cons is a lot narrower than most would have us believe..........In my humble opinion of course.

 

[Pothas]

Just look back at the best times England have had during his test career (there have been quite a lot, which we should not forget) and he has played a memorable role in all them. I mean anyone that watched his innings in Mumbai will be thankful that KP played for England.