10 interesting facts about Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen, who was made the scapegoat by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after their Ashes whitewash in Australia, had many incredible moments in his cricketing days. Here are some interesting facts about the man who turns 34 today. There are many more to him than just his weakness against spin, issues with the ECB and captaincy.Pietersen continued to amass runs for England that saw him end his career as the highest run-scorer for his country, all three formats combined: 13, 779 international runs with 32 hundreds.Pietersen has scored 3 double hundreds, with the last one against India at Lord’s in 2011 being an unbeaten 202. The fascinating stroke-maker scored 533 runs at an average of 106.60 in six innings in the 2011 Pataudi Trophy, and, with England struggling big time now, his presence would be missed in the upcoming home series against India.His 237 at Adelaide in 2010 ended his 20-months long barren run without a 3-figure mark, also helping England win the Ashes Down Under after 24 years.

#1 South African-born England star

Pietersen was born inPietermaritzburg, South Africa, to an African father and an English mother in 1980.

After making his first-class debut in 1997 as a teenager forKwaZulu-Natal, he moved to England in 2000 to join Nottinghamshire,citingracial quota system in South Africa as a hindrance tohis progress as a cricketer.