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Kevin Pietersen will not play for England this summer after director of cricket Andrew Strauss said there was a “massive trust issue” between the two.
Strauss said Pietersen, who recorded a career-best 355 not out for Surrey on Tuesday, has not been banned from future England action.
But, in a 40-minute meeting with Strauss on Monday, he was told he would not be considered until after the summer’s home Ashes series against Australia.
The 34-year-old was sacked by England in February 2014 but is playing county cricket in a bid to return to the Test team.
Strauss, speaking for the first time since his England and Wales Cricket Board appointment and after the sacking of head coach Peter Moores, said:
- Pietersen will not be selected in “short-term”
- Pietersen was offered consultancy role to ODI side, which he rejected
- Moores “had tactics and strategy limitations” – Jason Gillespie potential replacement
- Alastair Cook remains Test captain, Joe Root replaces Ian Bell as vice-captain
- Eoin Morgan remains ODI captain, with “more separation” between the ODI and Test sides
“Now is the time for us to be really open about the Kevin Pietersen situation – people have been running away from it for years,” said Strauss.
“The truth about Kevin is that he is a phenomenal cricketer. But over months and years, trust has eroded between Kevin Pietersen and the ECB.
“There is a massive trust issue between me and Kevin.
“While there is no trust between Kevin and the ECB, it is our opinion he cannot feature in our short-term plans. Long-term, who knows?”
Speaking on Monday, before his meeting with Strauss, Pietersen said he was “desperate” to return to the international game, adding: “Personal differences have got nothing to do with what the public wants. The public just wants to see the England team winning.
“What more can I do? All I can do is score runs. I’m incredibly proud of how I played under pressure.”
Pietersen reduced his Indian Premier League commitments this year to play for Surrey after incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves suggested an international return might be possible if he were to score runs in domestic cricket.
But Strauss’s assertion that the South Africa-born batsman will not be considered for selection could signal the end of a career that took in 8,181 runs and 23 centuries in 104 Tests.
Pietersen last played for England in the final Test of a 5-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia in January 2014.
He was sacked a month later and released an autobiography in October criticising several players, saying there was a “bullying culture” in the squad.
In July 2014, Strauss apologised for making an offensive remark about his former team-mate during a live television broadcast.
Why Moores was sacked
Peter Moores was dismissed as England head coach on the same day Strauss was appointed as director of cricket.
It was Moores’ second spell in charge of the team, which finished with a dismal World Cup performance and a drawn Test series in the West Indies.
“That was a very tough decision to take,” Strauss told BBC Sport. “He’s a very popular coach and has got some really strong attributes as a coach.
“I personally think he’s got some limitations in the international arena around strategy and tactics and I think we saw that in the World Cup to a certain extent.
“But he was undermined greatly by the fact he had done the job before. He needed time and space to take the England cricket team forward and he was never going to get that.”
Gillespie a candidate
Former Australia seamer Jason Gillespie, 40, is the current Yorkshire head coach and led the club from Division Two to the County Championship title within three years.
Strauss confirmed he is “one of the candidates” to replace Moores and said he wants someone in place in time for the Ashes, which begin in July.
“It is one of the top two coaching jobs in world cricket and there are a lot of ambitious coaches who want to prove they can cut the mustard at this level.”
Captaincy and beyond
Strauss said Alastair Cook would remain as captain for the summer, with Joe Root “stepping up” to vice captain and Eoin Morgan remaining in charge of the one-day side.
“Alastair Cook has my full backing to lead the side into the Ashes this summer. He has had a brutally tough last 18 months, with his own form and one-day captaincy.
“Selection is something we need to look at. There have been times where there are issues around responsibility and accountability – I want to look at that this summer.”
Strauss will not be hands-on
Strauss said he would not play a “tracksuit” role, instead leaving the coaching of the side to Moores’ replacement.
He added that it would be his job to “make sure we are not off pace for the next World Cup”.
“I am not going to be in the dressing room. That is not my role. The captain and the coach will be in control.”
A united front
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison echoed Strauss’s opinion on Pietersen.
“All I can add to what Andrew said is that we are aligned on the decision; myself, Andrew and Colin Graves.
“It has been a tricky issue that has been interpreted in different ways by different people.
“We are taking this as a chance to move forward with a new leadership with a real excitement about where English cricket can go.”
What is everyone else saying?
Jonathan Agnew on BBC Radio 5 live: “Anyone who will have seen Andrew Strauss talk today very strongly about the issue of trust, will be of no doubt that Kevin Pietersen will not play for England again.”
Piers Morgan on BBC Radio 5 live: “I spoke to Kevin this morning and he’s incredibly upset, he believes he’s been deeply misled. Remove the personal, vindictive politics in the selection process and allow the best player to play for England again.”
Former England bowler Steve Harmison told BBC Sport: “I never expected Kevin to come back. I thought the decision to sack Kevin was baffling at the time. But I don’t think this decision is baffling, because once you’ve sacked someone it is hard to come back.
“Andrew mentions the word trust, and I think that can work both ways. There were reports in the papers after their meeting on Monday and that can only have come from one place.”
Former England and Kent batsman Ed Smith on Kevin Pietersen: “Fans are not divided. Social media is divided and social media is a poor reflection of cricket.”
On Andrew Strauss: “Do you want someone to be interesting or good at their job? There’s a massive misconception that the way to connect with the cricket public is by saying a lot.”
Pietersen’s Surrey team-mate Kumar Sangakkara: “In cricket it’s not about who you like, but who adds the most value to the team. Whether it’s the right or wrong decision remains to be seen with the future of English cricket.”
