The Kevin Pietersen Isn't Touring India Thread

[LondonTiger]

First topic message reminder :

it would be good to keep all the talk in one place.

A quick question. Mr Pietersen is now a free agent so can pick and choose where he wants to play. If he had made himself available to tour India, but stated he was not available for the series with NZ in 2013 should he have been picked for the India tour?

[msp83]

I don't think Pietersen is looking for a 3 year contract. ECB wants Pietersen to make himself available for England in all formats till then, and by the look of things he has agreed. But he wouldn't have anything to do with a 4 month obnoxious contract without any future assurances. Given the ECB has not been very open in his treatment he would be foolish to sign away his legal rights. Cook seems to be strongly inclined towards getting Pietersen back in the fold, and I am sure sooner or later Flower and the rest will have to give way. How soon would also depend on the team results and Pietersen's actions in the mean time.
But if he's not offered a contract having already rejected for the India tour, Pietersen won't deny a chance to play in the BBL if there is an offer. To expect him to do that, well, not very common sensical I have to say.

[msp83]

So every one took Swann's jibes at Pietersen(a mild one relatively speaking) and Samit Patel(a rather serious one at that) easy and was laughed off? Swann and Patel have played together in how many matches since then?

[Mike Selig]

So every one took Swann's jibes at Pietersen(a mild one relatively speaking) and Samit Patel(a rather serious one at that) easy and was laughed off? Swann and Patel have played together in how many matches since then?

Swann was disciplined as I keep having the repeat. He may have apologised in private for all we know.

Swann and Patel don't get on very well, and never have. As I keep saying, you don't need to get on well, but you do need trust and respect. After the SMS fiasco (which was the last in a long list of issues) this had broken down, both ways. It now needs time to rebuild.

And I would repeat there is a massive massive difference between putting some silly things in a book which you didn't write anyway, and sending text messages to the opposition in the middle of a crucial test match. Surely everyone can see that?

[msp83]

To call Swann's jibe on Patel as just silly is a bit silly in my view. And I don't see such a massive difference between what Pietersen did and what Swanny did.
Also why the double standards again as many of us have been asking. You say Swann was disciplined but the public doesn't know although the book is out in the public domain unlike Pietersen's texts. Also, Swann too had a rather colourful past when it comes to discipline, Fletcher had big problems with his attitude. So it is not like a first offense, we know his drink and drive issue and everything else.

[Mad for Chelsea]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19669337

more positive signs, that a reconciliation is on the way

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