Exile from international cricket means shifting to commentator’s box

When middle-order batsman Kevin Pietersen (or KP, as he is known) was dropped on August 12 from the team for the third Test at Lord’s for refusing to clarify that he had not sent derogatory SMS messages on the England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower to members of the touring South African squad, it came as no surprise when ESPN Star Sports announced on August 24 that he would be part of their commentary team for the ongoing ICC World T20 tournament in Sri Lanka. Some 26 years ago, an Indian minister of state for finance would threaten bank officials who did not play along with his loan mela schemes that he would have them immediately transferred to remote states affected by militancy. The risk factor is far less for KP and the other 21st-century sporting gladiators who are not expected to emulate their counterparts in ancient Rome by falling on their swords.

An exile from international cricket to the commentary-box need not even be irrevocable. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has already stated that he would like to see KP back in the team that will be playing four Tests in India from November 15 to December 17. KP had earlier stated that he would like to be part of the England team that will be touring New Zealand next February. However, Vaughan told BBC 5 the other day that if the issues for which KP had been dropped had been resolved, he would like to see this ‘exceptional’ cricketer batting at his usual position of two-down for England during this winter’s Test tour of India that would be played on low, slow, spinning tracks. England could well lose 4-nil in KP’s absence, he said. Vaughan’s warning appears even more relevant in the wake of India thrashing England by 90 runs in last Sunday’s World T20 match.