Name:

Pietersen, Kevin P

Nickname:

KP

Date of Birth:

27 Jun 1980

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

Pietermaritzburg, Natal

Career:

Test: 2005 - 2014
ODI: 2004 - 2013
T20: 2005 - 2013

Teams:

England (Country)
ICC World XI (Other)
Hampshire (Regional)
Delhi Daredevils (IPL)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL)

KP Profile: Maverick and mecurial batsman

Kevin Pieterson: A career of achievement, big hitting and melodramatic tensions

Kevin "KP" Pietersen was born on June 27, 1980 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal.

He was a hard hitting right handed batsman and off spin bowler who specialised in the reverse sweep.

KP played for Natal and junior South African teams in his youth before moving to England. He qualified for England due to his mothers citizenship. After several years with Hampshire and England Lions, he made his ODI debut for England against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2004.

KP made his Test debut in the thrilling Ashes series of 2005. His phenomenal talent and self-belief can never have been more evident than when he hit 158 on the final day of the 5th and last Test at the Oval, securing England a first Ashes triumph in 18 years.

He provided a rare ray of sunshine for England in the Ashes tour of 2006/07 as they were whipped 5-0. KP scored 490 runs at 54 with a top score of 158.

KP was awarded an MBE in 2005 and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2006

In 2008, Pietersen was named as England captain after the retirement of Michael Vaughan. His brief three-Test spell in charge began promisingly against South Africa at The Oval in Aug 2008. A dressing‑room revolt against him in Jan 2009 caused his sacking by the ECB. He was replaced by Andrew Strauss.

In 2010, he was named player of the ICC World T20 tournament after helping England win the title, their first ever World crown.

In the 2010/11 Ashes tour, KP was again the top batsman, hitting 227 in Adelaide. England eventually went on to win the Ashes. KP contributed 360 runs at 60.

KP was the central character in the text-gate row in 2012. Pietersen was accused of helping their South African opponents with information about how to take captain Andrew Strauss’s wicket. KP claimed he merely went along with a description of Strauss as a “doos” but accepted he was wrong to communicate via text with England’s opponents.

In the 2013 Ashes series, KP made a match-saving 113 at Old Trafford. During this knock, he became the highest run scorer for England from all forms of the game. England went on to win the series making Kevin a four-time Ashes winner.

During the 2013/14 Ashes series in Australia, KP won his 100th test cap for England and played his last Test at Sydney in Jan 2014.

KP tried to force himself back into the England team in 2015. He made 355 not out against Leicestershire. With team unity at stake, the ECB decided to pass up on picking KP. Pietersen said he was "angry and hurt" at being told he will not be considered for selection by England.

KP plays in various domestic T20 tournaments around the world as a hired gun, and also commentates on TV.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter