Kevin Pietersen - The missing link in the jigsaw puzzle

England sorely missed Kevin Pietersen

A little less than a decade ago, England’s A squad was touring the length and the breadth of India, as they were taking part in the prestigious Duleep Trophy tournament. Just like their senior colleagues, they too seemed to be weary of facing Indian spinners on turning tracks. It felt like England A’s batsmen were searching for king cobras and common Indian Kraits that were secretly hidden beneath the track by Indian groundsmen to spit venom at the batsmen.

Just when it seemed like South Zone’s spinners would make England A’s batsmen dance to their spinning tunes, like a true knight in shining armour, out came Kevin Peter Pietersen. With a brisk-gait to the crease when he took the guard, his bizarre hair style, made one laugh aloud. However, there was nothing funny about his batting.

In a matter of few minutes, Pietersen reduced the stratagem of well thought-out field placings to a lottery by sending the ball scurrying to the boundary, no less than sixteen times. Spin twins, Sunil Joshi and Ramkumar of South Zone were reduced to the level of net bowlers. Due to Venugopal Rao’s spine-tingling double-hundred, Pietersen’s scintillating century went in vain. But that buccaneering innings by KP served up ample proof of what was in store for bowlers all over the world.

Since that stunning century against South Zone, KP has gone on to become a glittering star of world cricket. He has played knocks that can only be described as dramatic and brutal. He hasn’t just won games single-handedly with his exhilarating and eye-catching stroke-play. But has many times, taken the wind out of opposition’s key bowler’s sails.

We saw that last year when KP scripted three knocks of breathtaking beauty against Sri Lanka, South Africa and India, respectively. While facing up to the marauding Steyn at Headingley last year, it didn’t look like the world’s best pacer was bowling. Instead, for perhaps the first time in his career, Steyn for a while seemed to be scared to death to bowl to KP.