Out of favour England batsman Kevin Pietersen will not be recalled to the international side despite scoring an unbeaten triple hundred for Surrey on May 11.
The swashbuckling batsman Pietersen, who scored his first triple hundred of his career, had a meeting with Andrew Strauss – newly appointed ECB director, who reportedly told him that he will not be called back to the England side.
Pietersen, who has been on the international exile since February 2014, batted for more than seven hours against Leicestershire at The Oval and took his team to strong position with his unbeaten knock of 326 off just 373 balls.
During an interview with Sky Sports, he said:
“I’m desperate to play for England again. That’s what I want to do. It’s not just numbers, but how important the timing is.
“The pressure I was under this morning … that’s one of the best innings I’ve ever played.
“I knew that I basically needed to answer and question with runs and goodness: 326 is a pretty good argument.”
Pietersen may have been encouraged by the departure of Peter Moores, with whom he had a disturbing relationship, but maybe he forgot that Strauss has his own problems with him.
Here is what some of the top reporters across England had to say regarding Kevin Pietersen’s possible return to the English side.
“We understand that Kevin Pietersen has been told this evening that he won’t be picked to play for England again,” said a tweet from BBC Test Match Special.
Jonathan Agnew, the BBC cricket correspondent, added, “I gather Strauss has confirmed to KP this evening that he will not be selected for England again.”
Strauss, who will face the media for the first time in his new role on May 12, will have his task cut out in appointing a new England coach following the sacking of Moores.