Kevin Pietersen left out in the cold | Update: Pietersen included in the squad

[Iconoclast]

No Panesar no KP ... ECB in full self-destruct mode

[rkt.india]

Panesar is there.

Pietersen left out of India tour Andrew McGlashan September 18, 2012 Kevin Pietersen has been left out of England's Test squad for the tour of India while Joe Root and Nick Compton have been called up. Eoin Morgan has also been recalled and Monty Panesar is one of three spinners alongside Graeme Swann and Samit Patel. Talks between Pietersen and the ECB remain ongoing although the batsman is currently in Sri Lanka working as a TV pundit during the World Twenty20. Last week Pietersen was not handed a central contract, a clear indication that problems still exists although he can be offered one at any time in the future. Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket, said: "Both ECB and England team management have had meetings with Kevin Pietersen to address the issues that led to his omission from the final Investec Test match against South Africa. These discussions remain private and confidential and, as there are issues still to be resolved, Kevin has not been considered for selection for the India tour." In the absence of Pietersen and the retired Andrew Strauss, England's batting order is inexperienced. That is likely to have been one of the reasons for Morgan's recall despite very little success in first-class cricket since he was dropped from the Test side following the series against Pakistan in the UAE. Compton and Root could well be vying for one place in the line-up, depending on how Andy Flower and Alastair Cook decide to balance the team. Compton was the leading run-scorer during the 2012 English season with 1494 runs and was within touching distance of making 1000 runs before the end of May. Root, 21, who was named the Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer on Monday, had been tipped for a place on the tour squad having been a regular in the England Lions set-up over the last 12 months, where he has impressed batting coach Graham Thorpe. He scored 964 first-class runs in the season with a best of 222 against Hampshire. "Nick Compton has performed well consistently for Somerset in county cricket this season, made big hundreds and shown that he has the temperament and the technique to play at a higher level," Geoff Miller, the national selector, said. "Joe Root is a player who has been successful at every level from county cricket through to EPP and England Lions, and he deserves this opportunity to step up to the next level and press his case for a place in the Test side. " The two notable omissions in the batting department are Ravi Bopara and James Taylor, who both played Tests during the recent series against South Africa. Bopara withdrew from the second Test at Headingley due to personal problems, which handed Taylor his debut. He returned for the one-day matches against South Africa but has suffered a horror run of form and is unlikely to make the starting XI in the World Twenty20. He does not even feature in the Performance squad that will be based in India at the same time as the Test party. Taylor, though, does have the compensation of a spot with the Performance players who will be the first in line for a call-up should injury or illness strike. The bowling line-up is largely as expected, with Panesar again preferred as the support, or back-up, to Swann despite a difficult time in Sri Lanka earlier this year. James Tredwell, the Kent offspinner, was another option after solid performances in recent one-day matches. Patel, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka, provides an option to balance the side at No. 7. The first Test against India starts in Ahmedabad on November 15.

Squad Alastair Cook (capt) James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Nick Compton, Steven Finn, Graham Onions, Eoin Morgan, Monty Panesar, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

[Crookbond]

Cook made his debut on indian test tour at the age of 21 and joe root will also make his debut on indian test tour at the age of 21' date=' watch out for him[/quote'] India is the best team to make a somebody out of a nobody. I think it's got more to do with preparation.

[Crookbond]

Pietersen 'disappointed' at exclusion

"Kevin Pietersen is very disappointed about today's decision having gone to great lengths to reach a reconciliation with the ECB," the statement read. "Pietersen has met with and apologised to Andrew Strauss. "He has also met with Alastair Cook to stress his commitment to England and he has met with ECB Board members including face to face meetings with Hugh Morris, David Collier and Andy Flower prior to his departure to Sri Lanka. "At all times Pietersen has wished his meetings with the ECB to remain private so as not to inflame an already difficult situation. "His recent silence was not an admission of any wrong doing. He wanted to explain and apologise to the ECB for the messages exchanged with members of the South Africa team. "He has also made it absolutely clear to the ECB and the England team that despite unsubstantiated allegations to the contrary and repeated media speculation he did not offer any tactical advice to the South Africans. Pietersen remains available for England."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-england-2012/content/current/story/582744.html

[SLICKR392]

SOBs ECB :((

[rkt.india]

India is the best team to make a somebody out of a nobody. I think it's got more to do with preparation.

And bowling attack. Look how SA made life difficult for both Taylor and Bairstow.

[rkt.india]

England Performance squad: Jos Buttler (Somerset), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Scott Borthwick (Durham), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Varun Chopra (Warwickshire), Matthew Coles (Kent), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Ben Foakes (Essex), James Harris (Glamorgan), Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Azeem Rafiq (Yorkshire), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Chris Wright (Warwickshire) Zimbabwe player in England's performance squad. He has played for Zimbabwe U19 in 2008 WC I guess. His FC stats are impressive. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/232438.html

[sreej]

England Performance squad: Jos Buttler (Somerset), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Scott Borthwick (Durham), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Varun Chopra (Warwickshire), Matthew Coles (Kent), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Ben Foakes (Essex), James Harris (Glamorgan), Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Azeem Rafiq (Yorkshire), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Chris Wright (Warwickshire) Zimbabwe player in England's performance squad. He has played for Zimbabwe U19 in 2008 WC I guess. His FC stats are impressive. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/232438.html

I've been following Ballance's progress for a while and I'm certain he'll make it to the team within a year. The official ECB website even has an interview with him. It's sad that ZIM has lost a potentially great player. Btw, he resembles Jesse Ryder, if you know what I mean. :winky:

[Malcolm Merlyn]

We can atleast now try to draw the series.

[avicric]

Afghanistan has a decent chance of beating us

[Ram]

*Cue music and follow with sinister, evil laughter..* Welcome to India, Poms. Welcome. We simply cannot wait to extend to you the world famous Indian hospitality! No Strauss, no KP, team is transition. This is our bestest chance to show the FORMER World no.1s who not to mess with.

[ShebbySB]

We should beat them hands down now........atleast 3-0.Ya 4-0 will be an icing on the cake.Their batting line up is very fragile specially on spinning tracks & now they are without the service of KP.Feel sorry for KP though,loved him when he played.

[maverick451]

I fail to see how are batting lineup is that much weaker, Strauss couldnt play spin to save his life

[Stan AF]

Advantage India. Pietersen plays well against India and has a good idea about the conditions here better than most English players. Don't understand what's with ECB these days they need KP if they need to win the series here.

[CG]

I fail to see how are batting lineup is that much weaker' date=' Strauss couldnt play spin to save his life[/quote'] last time we could not get him out,he swept india bad

[BERGKAMP]

I fail to see how are batting lineup is that much weaker' date=' Strauss couldnt play spin to save his life[/quote'] :hmmm::hmmm: :hmmm: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--7lruL73C4]India vs England Andrew Strauss 158 World Cup 2011 - YouTube[/ame]

[Crookbond]

Andrew Strauss in India [table=head] Span Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s unfiltered 2004-2012 100 178 6 7037 177 40.91 14385 48.91 21 27 15 867 10 Profile filtered 2006-2008 5 10 1 489 128 54.33 1100 44.45 3 0 1 53 1[/table]

[BERGKAMP]

strauss cook trott kp bell bairstow/morgan prior or root cook trott bell morgan bairstow prior i know which line up i would rather face. bear in mind it will also be further weakened as bells wife is preggers and is due during the tests.

[Crookbond]

Pietersen stance continues to damage England

Let us be clear: Pietersen was the instigator of this saga. He isolated himself from the team. He sent some foolish, rude messages. He was demanding, proud and awkward about his future commitments and, when he comes to reflect on his career, the disrespectful way he treated the blameless Andrew Strauss may be his greatest regret. In messing with Andy Flower, he pulled the tail of a tiger. The resulting bites are, largely, Pietersen's own fault. But let us also retain some perspective. Pietersen's misdemeanours are, in the grand scheme of things, pretty minor. Players have been reintegrated into national sides after far more serious indiscretions. Shane Warne, for example, returned to the Australia side after serving time for a drug test failure, Mark Vermeulen returned to the Zimbabwe side after a colourful disciplinary past and Herschelle Gibbs returned to the South Africa side despite being tainted by the Hansie Cronje debacle. The ECB has, for years, been staffed by men such as Mike Gatting, Graham Gooch, Dennis Amiss, David Graveney and Bruce French who turned their back on international cricket to take the money on offer from rebel tours to South Africa during the apartheid years. If they can be forgiven, surely Pietersen can, too?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-england-2012/content/current/story/582824.html

[maverick451]

Pietersen Set for England return http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19783259 Kevin Pietersen's return to the England team could be confirmed within the next 48 hours. The batsman is expected to make a fresh apology, starting a process that could see him added to the India tour squad. Pietersen, 32, will say sorry for sending "provocative" text messages and commit himself to playing for England in all forms of cricket. He has not played for England since being dropped for the final Test against South Africa in August. BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said: "It does appear that the first stage of Pietersen's reintroduction to the England camp will start sometime this week - and possibly as early as Tuesday. "This will include an apology from the batsman for his conduct, and particularly for the text messages that were sent between him and the South African dressing room. "We can also expect an assurance that England's commitments will come first - that is, after all, where all of this began and it remains the central issue. "It will then be for the management and selectors to decide whether Pietersen will be a late addition to the team to tour India next month." Pietersen had targeted a return to the national team for the tour of New Zealand in February. But with England heading for a tricky tour to India in November, the batsman could be drafted in to boost an inexperienced batting line-up. New Test and one-day captain Alastair Cook has been positive about Pietersen's return to the fold ever since taking over from Andrew Strauss. But he leads a team to India that includes uncapped pair Joe Root, 21, and Nick Compton, who hit 1,191 runs for Somerset this season. Discussions between Pietersen and the England and Wales Cricket Board have been ongoing since the second Test against Proteas at Headingley, when the Surrey man himself cast doubts on his future - a claim he later backtracked from. Pietersen also apologised to former captain Strauss, who was allegedly criticised in the texts he sent to the South Africans - although he denied he offered any tactical advice. England begin their four-Test winter tour of India on 15 November in Ahmedabad, with subsequent fixtures in Mumbai from 23 November and Kolkata from 5 December, before finishing in Nagpur for the final Test which starts on 13 December.