Former England batsman Mike Atherton felt Kevin Pietersen and his team was in all probability being benefitted more than affected by the Mumbai terror attack as it save them from lot of criticism and gave them a chance to visit home in the middle of a series.
With no match practice at all and the the fact that none in the England squad has played first-class cricket in last four months, former England batsman Mark Butcher warned Kevin Pietersen's team to be prepared for tricky readjustments to a Test mind-set. The England team, who were not released to play for their counties at the end of the summer, have played only limited-overs matches since the final Test against South Africa, four months ago.
England's decision to tour India within a fortnight of the Mumbai mayhem was not driven by their urge to stand by a terror-stricken country but by a business deal, according to media reports in London. Apparently, it took lot of deliberation and persuasion on England and Wales Cricket Board's part to convince Kevin Pietersen and his men to tour India for the two-Test series.
Controversial England batsman Kevin Pietersen will be one of the first players to go under the hammer, along with senior India discards Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, when the two-day auction for the cash-rich IPL commences in Bangalore on February 12. The initial list of 651 players was pruned to 514, including 219 capped players, by the IPL governing council.
England's ODI captain Paul Collingwood wants the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to relax its stance and let the country's top players turn out in the multi-million dollar Indian Premier League. Collingwood came out in support of views expressed by Test captain Michael Vaughan and star batsman Kevin Pietersen who argued there is no reason for England stars to miss out on the Twenty20 extravaganza.
Kevin Pietersen and his men should call off their tour of India because the situation there is far from safe, former England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Lord MacLaurin said on Tuesday. MacLaurin said it would be sad if the ECB, which is awaiting a report from its security adviser Reg Dickason, eventually gives its go-ahead for the two-match Test series.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan feels it will be tough for Kevin Pietersen and his men to return to India for next month's Test series as playing there would be like being in a "military camp" after the ghastly Mumbai terror attacks. Vaughan said it is hard to say whether the Indians would be prepared to play after the mayhem that left close to 200 dead.
England captain Kevin Pietersen says his team may have to play the Test series against India in blue. That's because its kit was left behind at the Taj hotel, in Mumbai, which came under the just-ended terrorist attack. The English players had left their Test kits at the hotel before the seven-match ODI series, which they abandoned while trailing 0-5 because of the mayhem in Mumbai.
Kevin Pietersen and his men should not be forced into returning to India for next month's Test series if their security fears don't subside, said former England captain Nasser Hussain as he urged the ECB to take a call on the matter without delay.
England captain Kevin Pietersen showered rich praise on the Indian team after they won the rain-marred fourth one-dayer by 19 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method to clinch the seven-match series 4-0. Facing a possible whitewash, Pietersen said his bowlers seem to have lost all their firepower on the flat Indian tracks.
England captain Kevin Pietersen won the toss and elected to field in the fourth one-dayer against India in Bangalore on Sunday. India made one change to the side that won the third one-dayer in Kanpur, bringing in Sachin Tendulkar in place of Rohit Sharma.
England skipper Kevin Pietersen won the toss and chose to bat first against India in the third one-day international in Kanpur on Thursday. The start was delayed by 45 minutes due to hazy conditions, reducing play to 49-overs per side.
The England batsman went into the record books for the wrong reasons, thanks to an umpiring error by Simon Taufel.
Delighted with the perfect start to the seven-match series against England, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said losing the toss was a blessing in disguise, for he too would have opted to field first in the first ODI against England.
Kevin Pietersen launched an impassioned defence of Test cricket on Monday, less than two weeks before he will lead England in the US $20 million Twenty20 Stanford match. England face a West Indies select team in Antigua on November 1 in the winner-takes-all game where each victorious player will walk away with $1 million.
Suresh Raina figures among the 10 players, who will "define" cricket in the next decade.
Danish Kaneria called Kevin Pietersen a chicken and then got him out with a perfect googly
Kevin Pietersen scored 90 not out and then claimed two wickets to inspire his England team to a 20-run victory over South Africa in their opening one-day international at Headingley on Friday. The tourists, replying to England's 275 for four, could only manage 255 to give Pietersen another win after he was appointed captain this month.
Ian Bell is ready to support England captain Kevin Pietersen by taking on added responsibility as one of the more senior players in the team, the batsman said. Bell, a veteran of 43 Tests, told Reuters that after the exit of experienced players such as Marcus Trescothick, Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard it was time for him to be recognised as an elder statesman.
Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first Test as England captain with a consolation six-wicket victory over South Africa in the fourth and final Test on Monday.
Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first innings as England captain with a century, leading the hosts to a 122-run first-innings lead over South Africa on the second day of the fourth test at The Oval on Friday. South Africa, bowled out for 194 in the first innings, were 37 for one at the close in reply to England's 316.
Kevin Pietersen made the best of some good fortune to score a century in his first Test as England captain, against South Africa at The Oval, in London, on Friday.
England captain Michael Vaughan criticised umpire Darryl Harper's decision not to use technology on a crucial slip catch of Kevin Pietersen on the first day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Sunday. He said common sense should have prompted Harper to use technology to examine whether Chamara Silva at second slip had scooped up the ball before it touched the ground.
On Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and Delhi Capitals veteran spinner Amit Mishra also tested positive for the dreaded virus as BCCI announced the postponement with immediate effect.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first Test against his native South Africa on Thursday with an imperious 104 not out on the opening day of the first Test at Lord's.
BCCI's decision to appoint Rahul Dravid as India A and under-19 cricket coach is being lauded not just in the country but also far away in England where maverick batsman Kevin Pietersen has termed it an "absolutely brilliant" move.
New Zealand clinched a 3-1 win in the series by cruising to a 51-run victory over England in the fifth and final one-dayer at Lord's on Saturday, ensuring Kevin Pietersen's debut as captain ended in defeat.
The former Australia captain said Kevin Pietersen acted too hastily by returning home after breaking his rib during the opening match of the tri-series.
'The shot will create a lot of problems. How do you deal with lbws and wides? Do you treat the batsman as right-hander or a left-hander?' the legendary umpire was quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph.
Kevin Pietersen's inventive 110 not out, which included two unorthodox left-handed sixes, helped steer England to a 114-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Durham on Sunday. England took the lead in the five-match series after the Kiwis, replying to England's 307 for five, failed to threaten their target and were all out for 193. Brendon McCullum top-scored with 36 while Paul Collingwood took four for 15.
England opener Ian Bell scored 60 not out on Friday to help subject New Zealand to their seventh straight defeat in Twenty20 internationals. Bell's fluent innings was the highlight of a day in which England won a one-sided contest by nine wickets with 15 balls to spare at Old Trafford in Manchester. The home side, replying to New Zealand's below-par 123 for nine on a pitch encouraging both pace and spin, reached 127 for one.
Kevin Pietersen's 12th test century helped England recover from a slump to reach 273 for seven on the first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand on Thursday. Pietersen scored 115 for his first test hundred at Trent Bridge, where he played for four seasons from 2001.
Ross Taylor's scintillating unbeaten 154 put New Zealand in control of the second Test on the second day against England on Saturday. At the close England had limped to 152 for four in reply to New Zealand's 381 for nine after the injured Daniel Flynn did not return to the crease.
The Australian coach said he noticed Kevin Pietersen always fielded in the outfield away from his team mates.
England clinched the one-day international series against India with a seven-wicket victory in the seventh and final match at Lord's.
Denying Kevin Pietersen's claims that a bullying culture had flourished in the England dressing room in recent years, captain Alastair Cook says the maverick cricketer's controversial autobiography has "tarnished" one of the most successful eras for the national team.
"This is totally unacceptable and I'll talk to my colleague in Australia about the incident," said Britain's Minister for Sport Richard Caborn.
Kevin Pietersen scored a century as England denied India victory in the third and final Test.
The visitors finished the day 240 runs ahead with England needing to bat for most of the remaining two days if they are to save the match and prevent a 1-0 deficit in the three-match series.
England scored a face-saving three-wicket victory in their concluding match of the Champions Trophy.
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