Kevin Pietersen to Retire from All Forms of Cricket: A Highlight of his Illustrious Career!

Kevin Pietersen has decided to hang his boots and announced the end of his cricketing career after his participation in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018. Pietersen will be playing for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL. The Englishman last played for England in the year 2014 and since then has committed himself to play T20 leagues around the globe. The stylish batsman has played for Melbourne Stars in Big Bash League (BBL); Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bangalore in Indian Premier League (IPL); Hollywoodbets Dolphins in the CSA T20 Challenge, among many other leagues.

One of the most out-spoken cricket players of all times, the then superstar of England Cricket never shared a cordial relationship with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The aggressive middle-order batsman had a starry career and was also regarded as England’s greatest modern batsman.

We take a walk down the memory lane and look at the highs and lows of, as The Times once called him, 'the most complete batsman in Cricket'.

1. The Making of The Superstar – Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen began his career in a low-key affair in Zimbabwe in 2004. Andrew Flintoff was rested, and there began Pietersen’s journey. His average of 104 in his debut series saw England win it 4-0. His next assignment, the tour of South Africa, saw him hit three centuries in the series. He also hit an unbeaten 69-ball hundred, which is England’s fastest ODI hundred. Pietersen equaled West Indies great Viv Richards record by scoring 1,000 runs in only 21 innings. Not many would have predicted the rise of a star in England Cricket then.

2. The Audacious Switch Hit Is Here!

Kevin Pietersen took the world by storm when he introduced the ‘switch-hit’ shot in 2006. Pietersen first hit a ‘switch-hit’ off Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling for a Six. He played the audacious shot in an ODI against New Zealand’s Scott Styris, in the year 2008. It made cricket pundits refer to the rule-books and many questioning its authenticity. Addressing all the controversies, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) ruled that the shot was legal in 2008.

3. Captain Kevin Pietersen, Couldn’t Continue for Long!

Kevin Pietersen’s consistent performances across all formats earned him a promotion to captaincy role in 2008. It was evident that Pietersen didn’t share a harmonious relationship with the then coach Peter Moores. The tensions between the two simmered and after England’s tour to India, Pietersen was forced to resign from the captaincy role. Also, coach Peter Moores was also sacked on the same day.

4. Text messages can land you in a soup!

Kevin Pietersen became the fastest man to reach the 7,000 Test runs in the year 2012. There were media reports that he allegedly sent derogatory texts about his then captain Andrew Strauss, to rival team (South Africa) players. A lot of drama saw Pietersen being dropped from the next Test match, despite scoring a match-saving century in the previous test match.

5. IPL Seduction Saw A Period of Brief Retirement

In another dispute with the ECB, Kevin Pietersen had announced his retirement. Pietersen demanded to have a longer stint in the IPL in 2012. A tight schedule of the England Cricket team could not accommodate his demand. The situation saw Pietersen retire from all forms of limited-overs international cricket, out of frustration. ECB had then regarded the matter as an unacceptable display of people power; it only soured their already strenuous relationship.

6. England Cricket’s All-Time High Scorer

Kevin Pietersen’s tremendous Test and ODI records had very few rivals in the England team. With all his batting prowess, behaviour on-and-off the field, and share of controversies, Kevin Pietersen became the highest England run-scorer in all the international forms of the game combined in 2013.

7. The England Superstar Makes A Comeback… Of Sorts!

Kevin Pietersen was England’s highest run-scorer in their Australia’s tour in 2013-14. Despite that fact, reports of a deteriorating relationship with coach Andy Flower surfaced in media. Flower resigned from his post soon after. To control any further damages, the England Cricket authorities, pull down curtains on Pietersen’s career too, citing the reason to build ‘team ethic and philosophy’. The comeback in England uniform was short-lived.

The rise and fall of Kevin Pietersen’s career is a testimony to the fact that there is always something more than what meets the eye! On February 21, Pietersen, on his Instagram account announced the end of his cricketing career with an emotional message.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2018 03:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).