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Kevin Pietersen added to England squad for tour of India

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments207

Kevin Pietersen playing test cricket for England

Kevin Pietersen has been added to the England squad for the tour of India.

The decision to recall the 32-year-old was made after he met with coach Andy Flower, Test captain Alastair Cook and other senior players this week.

"The meetings were constructive and cordial and all outstanding issues have been resolved," explained Hugh Morris, the England team's managing director

Pietersen, who recently agreed a new England contract, was dropped in August following a fractious summer.

The player had to apologise to former captain Andrew Strauss after sending "provocative" text messages to opposing players during the Test series against South Africa.

However, the ECB later accepted the texts were not derogatory about Strauss and the Surrey player was given a pending a successful outcome to a "reintegration" period.

After a series of successful meetings earlier this week in Oxford, England are now ready to welcome South Africa-born batsman back into the national fold before they fly out to Abu Dhabi next week ahead of their four-Test tour of India in November and December.

Pietersen is currently playing for Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League in South Africa.

"All the England players and management are now keen to draw a line under this matter and fully focus on the cricketing challenge that lies ahead in India," added Morris.

ECB national selector Geoff Miller said: "We are pleased to welcome a player of Kevin's proven international calibre back into the Test squad for such an important Test series.

"As we anticipate that Ian Bell will return home for the birth of his first child around the time of the second Test in Mumbai, the team will benefit from having an extra batsman in the squad and all players who were originally selected for the tour will fly out as planned next week.

"Kevin will join up with the squad as soon as his Champions League commitments are complete."

The final of the Champions League is on 28 October, by which time England will be at a training camp in Dubai. Their first warm-up game starts on 30 October in Mumbai.

Rifts between Pietersen, who averages 49.48 in Test cricket, and his England team-mates surfaced during the series with South Africa, when he claimed there were after scoring a century in the second Test at Headingley in August.

Two days after Pietersen was dropped over the texts scandal, Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad issued a statement denying any involvement in a Twitter account called KP Genius that parodied Pietersen.

England Test squad for India: Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, Nick Compton, Matt Prior (wk), Samit Patel, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Graham Onions, Monty Panesar.

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207 comments

  • Comment posted by VD15, at 17:15 18 Oct 2012

    If I see one more KP article I think I might go mad.

  • Comment posted by Charles G, at 19:14 18 Oct 2012

    Ideal scenario - England to win in India, KP to be top run scorer and KP to out bowl Swann .....'reintegration' complete!!

  • Comment posted by Ian1779, at 17:29 18 Oct 2012

    #21 - Why use the 'player bigger than the team' line? What about the three 'stooges' who DO think that the team solely exists for their benefit, but sadly don't contribute anything of any note now.

    Swann particularly has been punching well above his weight for at least 18 months, but for some reason he's untouchable - maybe he sends nice tweets and Andy and the team.. that's the real joke here.

  • Comment posted by Stephen Simpson, at 17:30 18 Oct 2012

    If you are going to win test matches then you need to have your best players. Pietersen averages 49.48 in tests and was a big loss in the summer.

  • Comment posted by Oysterman, at 20:51 18 Oct 2012

    Here we are again, happy as can be, all good friends and jolly good company. For gods sake LET IT BE!

  • Comment posted by fleuchary, at 18:55 18 Oct 2012

    There is something ringing true about the lunatics now being in charge of the asylum.

    Re-integration? The ECB have clearly shown KP who has the whip hand, all principles sacrificed to get his name on the team sheet. Damned poor show!

    #14 Agreed. Now KP has the upper hand what will the ECB do the next time the Tonka toys are thrown out of the pram?

    Total loss of credibility all round.

  • Comment posted by User0076737189, at 19:36 18 Oct 2012

    #64
    It all depends on your point of view. You see a joker, and I see 7000 test runs and an average of 62 in India.

    Who is the joker?

    Welcome back Kevin!

  • Comment posted by jerrycowhig, at 17:09 18 Oct 2012

    I am disappointed, shocked and appalled. For two years before the texting troubles he batted carelessly enough to be dropped. He recovered some form but even if he were the world's Number One, his arrogance and contempt for the team are unforgivable. Booooooooo when he next walks out.

  • Comment posted by Greatblackhawk, at 19:42 18 Oct 2012

    The real skill of most businesses is to retain its best people even when some behave in ways which cause despair.
    Cricket and KP are high profile but the situation was allowed to become a bigger obstacle than it really was by some poor mismanagement.
    Yes KP's judgement was poor, and unjustified, but a class mediator would have nipped this in the bud.
    England with KP is a much better place.

  • Comment posted by kapnag, at 17:29 18 Oct 2012

    Why do people think Pietersen can do as he likes when he's just been dropped and had no central contract offered?! Can you at least try and explain why you think he can do as he likes when you post that? As far as I can tell no other players dispute in the dressing room has ever been played out in public and punished as harshly as Pietersen

  • Comment posted by User0113442146, at 17:29 18 Oct 2012

    He is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world. Most bowling attacks fear him more than any other of the England batsmen.
    As anyone who's played the game will know, cricket teams always have "cliques" .. and not everyone wilHe is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world. Most bowling attacks fear him more than any other of the England batsmen.

  • Comment posted by fallenstar, at 18:35 18 Oct 2012

    lol sums England up..are they that terrified of playing in spinning conditions that they'd turn back to a traitor who was happy to send tactics to the South African team..could you imagine Alex Ferguson allowing this to happen..shame on the ECB..will do anything to try and win...this guy is only interested in himself..first sold South Africa out by turning his back on his own country now England

  • Comment posted by TheOneVoiceOfReason, at 17:18 18 Oct 2012

    It seems that on this occasion the player is bigger than the team.

    Time will tell how "integrated" he is in the England team.

    Having worked so hard to get him back in the side does this mean he is undropable if he fails to score the runs that many on this forum believe he will score.

    For myself I believe it is a bad day for English cricket, as you can probably guess, I'm not a fan.

  • Comment posted by TheOneVoiceOfReason, at 17:53 18 Oct 2012

    Ian @ 28

    I based my comment on the seemingly extraordinary lengths the ECB has gone to get KP back in the side.

    To us fans he is marmite so it's only natural that he has that effect on this team mates as well. With his past history at club and country I'm sure the are not the first to have ill feeling towards him.

    Rightly or wrongly I think this is a bridge too far for KP and England unity.

  • Comment posted by Iain_L, at 17:14 18 Oct 2012

    See it's started already - he'll join the squad once his Champions league commitments are over. If Dehli Daredevils make it to the final this will mean after the day/night match on 28th Oct. The squad fly out on the 25th Oct to Dubai for training between 26 - 28th, and KP may not be there at all.

    I thought he had to put his England commitments first?

  • Comment posted by terrier26, at 17:03 18 Oct 2012

    WHY WHY WHY? Once again as with Terry & Cole, KP can say what he wants and then apologise. Now everything in the garden is rosy. ECB and the FA have no guts.

  • Comment posted by CurseOfKain, at 21:31 18 Oct 2012

    Following on from my post.

    KP betrayed his country by informing the enemy of tactics and weaknesses of the England team.

    Didnt we used to shoot people for TREASON? lol

    Suppose thats why Britain "used" to be Great,

  • Comment posted by TheFridge, at 21:23 18 Oct 2012

    Steven Gerrard , whats he done to get mentioned in all this ?

    Get a grip.

  • Comment posted by martin, at 18:20 18 Oct 2012

    I find that this decision is disgraceful I hope that at some point in the future we are told the TRUTH. I for one will be happy to see us lose we deserve it for going down this route. 18 months ago I was excited when I had purchased ASHES tickets but I thought I would be supporting ENGLAND not KP. What happens when he does a similar trick NEXT time? ECB you have let us ALL down

  • Comment posted by CurseOfKain, at 21:19 18 Oct 2012

    Soory but England continue to dismay me with putting these muppets on pedestals:

    John Terry
    Ashley Cole
    Steven Gerrard
    KevIN Pietersen

    I mean do principles mean nothing in sport. Guys like above think life owes them and the fact that they are celebrities that they can act and do as they please.

    Get rid I say. Ethos and Ethics before results. Will never happen ;@(

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