Legends of the cricketing world Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne have recently shared the view that England's upcoming Test series vs India will see the rebirth of Kevin Pietersen's test form. Speaking in the Daily Telegraph, the former England captain portrayed an idea of an "x-factor series", believing that the big crowds which the Indian team will undoubtedly bring to England's test venues are just what Pietersen needs to make the most of his undoubted talent at the crease.
There is no doubt that Pietersen has talent. A Test average of 48.16 is not the sign of a bad player. Not even his biggest critics could deny that he has natural ability. These critics however, are the most opinionated and often-knowledgeable individuals in the cricketing world: the general public. Cricket fans across the country have become increasingly frustrated with KP's inconsistent form which has resembled a yo-yo for as long as I can remember. I don't think there has been a season where we could say without doubt that Pietersen was in "good nick" for a period longer than a few matches.
With England needing to win the series by two clear tests in order to steal the No.1 Test spot from their opponents, Aussie spin-legend Warne believes that Pietersen can potentially "provide the x-factor" and find his form to help his side achieve this unlikely feat.
However, it is all very well that ex-pros can praise Pietersen for his talent and warn about the danger he poses to England's opponents, but a potential danger and an undoubted talent will not win test matches unless he performs out in the middle. In my opinion Pietersen is yet to really reward his surprisingly loyal fans. His female fan base will always remain I'm sure..after all, who wouldn't get hot under the collar when faced with a topless Pietersen cluthcing a Pepsi. Anyone who know's about cricket however, will realise that the next two few months are a crucial time in Pietersen's England career. I think we should reserve judgement about England's apparent "best player", after all, you won't score runs by changing your necklace every week and I'm beginning to think that Red Bull is doing the opposite of giving KP his wings.
It is often said that a player in form gets all the luck. Pietersen claims that the draw of luck has not been on his side recently. But how recent is recently? This leads me to my next point: it seems to be always someone else's fault. Either the press are on his back, or he's just "in a bad place right now". Constant promises that the next Test will be "the one" have lost meaning with consistent failures. Yes, KP has often performed when he has needed to; his knock of 227 in the second Ashes test of England's success Down Under will be unforgettable, and little cameos with strike rates of 100+ have been valuable, but surely the number 4 slot in England's notoriously shakey top order needs stability and some sort of guarantee. I don't believe that Pietersen brings this stability to the side.
Pietersen's apparent external locust of control tells me that the majority of his problems lie within his head. Cricket is without doubt such a psychological game, possibly more so than any other sport, and concentration and mental stability are key to success. Would it be unfair to suggest that Pietersen does not have the mental state of mind required to bat for his country? I don't think it would. Players will always have periods of poor form. A noticeable example is the new One day captain Alistair Cook, who came under intense scrutiny with his role as England captain being questioned as well as his role in the team at all. Cook had every right to feel sorry for himself and tweet his disgust at his treatment by the press, but instead he did what is expected of every professional sportsman and silenced his critics with his performances on the pitch. It's time that Pietersen took a leaf out of courageous Cook's book and put a string of strong performances together at the crease to get his critics back on his side; a series with the No.1 Test spot at stake has no room for an inconsistent number 4 more active on Twitter than he has been on the scorecard.
Further proof that Pietersen's interests lie primarily off the pitch comes in his reaction to being called 'English', to which he angrily responded, "I'm not English, I just work here". So the Thee Lions tattoo'd on your arm are just another image thing are they Kev? It's these sort of petty confrontations which Pietersen gets involved in that are detracting his concentration away from the game itself, and the last thing England needs, let alone Pietersen himself, is a distraction with a crucial Test series fast approaching.
So will Vaughany and Warney be proved right? Will KP be England's x-factor and earn that record deal of a place on the Lord's Honours Board? I would love them to be right; a Pietersen century at Lord's is what everyone will be dreaming of, and what an opportunity for an individual who apparently thrives under pressure and buzzes off expectation. But I have an all too familiar feeling that, unless Pietersen stops worrying about his sponsors and how he looks at the crease, those kids queuing for hours by the Nursery Ground for that treasured KP autograph will be disappointed once again.
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