So deep was the distrust of Kevin Pietersen that, even after his maiden first-class triple century, he was told by new cricket director Andrew Strauss he would not play for England this summer.
In revealing on Tuesday that Pietersen’s England ambitions were still bleak, Strauss said he and Tom Harrison, the England and Wales Cricket Board CEO, met with Pietersen late Monday, after the batsman scored 326 not out for Surrey against leicestershire.
Pietersen told media after the innings, “I want to play for England again soon,” but Strauss informed him he would not feature in the summer Test campaigns against New Zealand and Australia.
Strauss said he offered Pietersen a non-playing role with the limited-overs team but was turned down.
Strauss refused to permanently rule Pietersen out from returning to the fold after the summer, when England go to South Africa, but admitted their relationship needs to improve. “Over months and years, the trust between himself and the ECB has eroded, and we are in the situation now where there is a massive trust issue between Kevin and I,” Strauss told Sky. “Because of that, we have decided that it is not in the best short-term interests of the side for him to be in that team.
“I can’t give him any guarantees on the future but he is not banned from the side. No one knows what is going to happen in the future. Everyone knows there is no trust out there. If there is a way to build trust, then let’s look at it, but at the moment, we are quite estranged.”
Strauss said he, Harrison and new ECB chairman Colin Graves were in agreement. It was Graves who offered Pietersen a lifeline back to international cricket, which England’s highest run-scorer across all formats accepted by signing for Surrey.
Pietersen, dropped following the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash in Australia, scored his first century of the county season on Monday and finished his innings on Tuesday unbeaten on 355, not long after Strauss’ comments.
On Monday, Pietersen said, “I want to play for England again soon. I just want to score runs. Personal differences between personalities has nothing to do with what the public wants. The public wants to see England cricket winning.”
The turbulent relationship between Pietersen and Strauss emerged before a 2012 test series against South Africa. Pietersen was dropped from England before the opening encounter for sending messages to the Proteas regarding Strauss, his then-captain and, like Pietersen, born in South Africa.
Pietersen returned to the squad in 2013 before being discarded again by the ECB a year later after England’s humiliating Ashes tour, where the side was routed 5-0, and won only one limited-overs game.
But Pietersen’s intention to end his exile from England was always clear, and Graves said in March that if he returned to play county cricket and hit top form, he would be considered for a recall.
His triple century put the newly appointed Strauss under immediate pressure to make a decision on a potential comeback.
Strauss has denied the 34-year-old the chance for now, just days into his new job. Within hours of receiving the role on Saturday, Strauss forced out coach Peter Moores, and said on Tuesday that former Australia bowler Jason Gillespie was in contention for the position. “He is one of the candidates, absolutely,” Strauss said. “Over the next few days we will start approaching candidates. Moores has been very popular in the England dressing room but I felt there are some areas in international cricket where he is a little bit exposed — for me personally, around tactics and strategy.”
Root named Test vice-captain
Strauss added that Joe Root has replaced Ian Bell as the test vice-captain, and backed Alastair Cook, who made his first century in almost two years against the West Indies this month, to lead the side against Australia.
“This is the right time for Joe Root to take more of a leadership position,” Strauss said. “He’s got outstanding leadership capabilities and we need him to start thinking more as a captain.
“Alastair Cook has my full backing to lead the England side into the Ashes.”
Gillespie in line for coach’s job
Strauss also confirmed that former Australia fast bowler Gillespie, who has been linked with the role ever since Peter Moores was sacked over the weekend, will be one of the candidates other than former Australia opener Justin langer and Sri lanka coach Tom Moody for the coach’s job.