Kevin Pietersen’s abrupt and premature retirement from Test cricket and the breakdown in his relationship with the England Cricket Board (ECB) remains one of the talking points in English cricket with each player and expert expressing different opinions on the Pietersen vs ECB saga. Former England captain Michael Vaughan was asked on the same and according to him, the ECB failed to manage him properly. Vaughan also opined that the long cold war between the player and the cricket board often felt like the ECB was using Pietersen for the team’s benefits and then making him the scapegoat when things went awry. Kevin Pietersen Should’ve Never Played for England After Text-Gate Scandal, Says Michael Vaughan.

Vaughan, who captained Pietersen for three years felt that the ECB failed to manage Pietersen properly. “I just don’t think they were doing that. I think they were just putting it to one side … they managed players brilliantly for many years but I just feel around that time they just let it drift and they were looking for a scapegoat, and he was the perfect excuse …” Vaughan told foxsports.com.au. “He’s a little bit precious, he’s a bit sensitive, he needs managing day-to-day, he can’t be managed as one of the team – that’s just not him.” England Players Were Jealous of Kevin Pietersen's 'Massive' IPL Deal, Says Michael Vaughan.

The 45-year-old, who captained England from 2003 to 2008, was also of the opinion that Pietersen should have never played for England after his text messages to members of the South Africa team during the England vs South Africa series was exposed. “In 2012 his text was bang out of order. Now, where English cricket were wrong in my opinion was they allowed him back in and he went to India.”

Mid-way through the ENG vs SA series in 2012, Pietersen was accused of sending text messages to players in the rival camp where he leaked information about the England dressing room and captain Andrew Strauss. And although the full content of those text messages has never been revealed, Pietersen was accused of giving Morne Morkel tips on how to get Strauss out.

"I've never seen 100 per cent clarification that that was the case, but if he did, I personally said at the time and have said it since, he shouldn't have ever played for England again," "If an England player, doesn't matter who it is, (is) found to be texting the opposing international team how to get one of your own players out I don't think he should have played for England again," Vaughan said.

Pietersen was immediately dropped from the squad for the third Test but returned to the team for the 2012 tour of India and starred in the team’s historic 2-1 series wins on Indian soil. “From (after the tour of India) on you felt like they used him to win a big series and then when it started to go pear-shaped again it was almost as if they had this excuse of why it was and it was always going to be Kevin Pietersen,” he said.  Pietersen went on to play 12 more Test matches after the Indian tour before being dropped.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2020 02:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).