Kevin Pietersen Eyes International Return

#1

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is hopeful of representing his native South Africa even though he'll be turning 40 when he re-qualifies.Pietersen, 37, hadn’t been selected for the national team after being sacked in the conclusion of the 2013-14 Ashes defeat in Australia.The right-handed batsman will be eligible to play for the Proteas in 2019."You are talking about in two years' time. Would I? Who knows? We'll have to wait and see where I am," said Pietersen. "I'm going to be playing a lot of cricket in South Africa over the next two years, so we'll see."I love batting: I will bat for as long as I love the art of batting. I do at the moment, but I'm an old man now, I've just hurt my calf, I didn't field."Who knows where I'll be in two years' time? If I enjoy batting, we'll see where I get to. I'm in a very happy place."Pietersen is set for his last summer of English county cricket and will be playing Twenty20s across the world over the next two years.

#2 Career in ECB

Few cricketers have divided opinion like Kevin Pietersen. When he was unceremoniously dumped from England's set up early in 2014, with lawyers at the ready on all sides, he was presented by those in authority as an egotistical individualist whose reluctance to respect those in charge forever undermined attempts to build a strong team ethic. Whatever view you held, Pietersen deserved to be recognised as one of the most captivating cricketers to pull on an England shirt. His flamboyant strokeplay was at the heart of many of England's finest performances for a decade. A brazen belief in his own ability, moments of outrageous unorthodoxy and, at times, a surprising vulnerability on and off the field have all combined to give him great box-office appeal.His 8,181 Test runs at 47.28 in 104 Tests had few rivals in England's history and his record in limited-overs cricket was also outstanding. In 2013, he became the highest England run-scorer in all international forms of the game combined. But Pietersen's ability to command attention on the field has been matched only by his ability to divide opinion off it. After more than nine years and many controversies, Pietersen's England career was at an end, a fact he wrestled with interminably: accepting it one day, holding out hope of a miraculous return the next. He had no choice but to commit himself to the life of a T20 specialist.

For many England cricket fans, no name sparks more excitement. But his celebrity status, individualistic streak and outspoken ways often grated with the England cricket authorities who prefer their star names to be more malleable and conservative. The English media, which has at times been vitriolic - not to say personal - about his rebellious streak has generally recognised that he has few peers.An attempt to introduce him into the inner sanctum, by appointing him England captain in August 2008, lasted only five months as his relationship with the coach, Peter Moores, was uncomfortable from the outset. Their differences simmered throughout a troubled tour of India and when the rift became public Pietersen was forced to resign early in the New Year with a disenchanted Moores sacked on the same day.Another dispute arose in May 2012 when Pietersen, agitating for the freedom to play for longer in the Indian Premier League - where his popularity was unquestioned - briefly announced his retirement from all forms of limited-overs international cricket. Pietersen's frustration had a disruptive effect on England's summer Test series against South Africa. The ECB regarded the matter as an unacceptable display of player power. He was dropped for the final Test at The Oval and omitted from World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, England predictable struggling in his absence.

#3 Little Known KP facts:

During the 2005 Ashes series, KP experimented with his hair as he changed his hairstyle after every match. Most of them were unusual haircuts, with his peroxide blond dyed streak of hair along the middle of his head being described as a "dead skunk" look. During 2009, the British media briefly nicknamed him the 'Dumbslog Millionaire' - a play on the famous movie 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Pietersen earned the nickname due to two shots he played - one against the West Indies in the away series and one against Australia in the 2009 Ashes. Both times, he was dismissed while trying a paddle-sweep to a ball somewhere in the vicinity of the 6th or 7th stump. Coming as it did after his IPL 1.55 million price tag, the name seemed very apt.KP drinks a Red Bull before coming out to bat. He is very edgy at the beginning of an innings and is desperate to get off the mark. His manic running at the start of his innings has been famously named as the "Red Bull runs."

Pietersen has one of the biggest egos in World Cricket and that has won him few friends. The Australian media nicknamed him "The Ego", or "FIGJAM" (F*** I'm Good, Just Ask Me) during the 2007 Ashes in Australia.He criticised Graeme Smith calling him "an absolute muppet, childish and strange" and that his behaviour "leaves a lot to be desired" after Smith had said a few uncharitable things about him.Pietersen has this image of a brash, cocky and arrogant individual, but according to Michael Vaughan, Pietersen, is very insecure and is not a confident person. Vaughan feels that KP needs to be loved at all times and needs constant support. Pietersen is one of the most hard-working Cricketers. He trains for hours and is always the last to leave the stadium. It is said that he bores the net bowlers to death asking them to bowl continuously at him.

#4 Kevin Pietersen has said that he has not ruled out resurrecting his international career with his native South Africa

The 37-year-old batsman will become eligible to play for the Proteas in 2019 having not been selected for England after being sacked in the aftermath of the 2013-14 Ashes defeat in Australia.“You are talking about in two years’ time. Would I? Who knows? We’ll have to wait and see where I am,” said Kevin Pietersen on Wednesday after smashing a thrilling half-century to lead Surrey to a 10-run win over Essex in front of almost 24,000 fans at The Oval in the Twenty20 Blast in an explosive return to English cricket.“I’m going to be playing a lot of cricket in South Africa over the next two years, so we’ll see. I love batting: I will bat for as long as I love the art of batting. I do at the moment, but I’m an old man now, I’ve just hurt my calf, I didn’t field.

“Who knows where I’ll be in two years’ time? If I enjoy batting, we’ll see where I get to. I’m in a very happy place.”Kevin Pietersen hit four sixes in an over on his way to 52 off 35 balls in a Surrey total of 150 for nine. In reply, Essex were restricted to 140 for seven.

Pietersen, who suffered a calf injury which prevented him from fielding, was playing his first English domestic match for nearly two years.He had a lucky escape in the 10th over when he was dropped by Dan Lawrence off Ashar Zaidi and added 43 with Dominic Sibley. Kevin Pietersen was eventually out in the 16th over, three balls after reaching his 40th half-century in T20 cricket.“I’m going to be playing a lot of cricket in South Africa over the next two years, so we’ll see. I love batting: I will bat for as long as I love the art of batting. I do at the moment, but I’m an old man now, I’ve just hurt my calf, I didn’t field.

#5 Kevin Pietersen has admitted that he's eyeing a return to international cricket with the country of his birth.

By the time Pietersen becomes eligible to play for South Africa, he'll be 37-years-old. "The eligibility for South Africa is still (over) a year away. So we will have to wait and see, but it (an English call-up) is definitely still an option," he said. "I am in a great frame of mind now. I enjoy myself and don't take life too seriously."I still train hard and love batting, I love practicing my batting, I love the art of batting. It may not guarantee me getting runs, but it gives me a good chance to get runs. I am very lucky that I have played international cricket for 10 years and over 100 Test matches."Pietersen was snubbed from the England squad after the 2014 Ashes series in Australia, one that England lost 5-0. The batsman was guilty of criticising Alastair Cook, England's Test captain, and Andy Flower, the then head coach. All Pietersen could manage in the fifth and final Test was scores of 3 and 6. After he was dismissed in the Test, he returned to the dressing room and started whistling. It was perceived that the batsman didn't care about his place in the squad.