171 Facts About Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who played in all three formats for England between 2005 and 2014, which included a brief tenure as captain.

Kevin Pietersen won the Player of the Series award for his heroics in 2010 ICC World Twenty20 and for helping the England Cricket Team win their maiden ICC trophy.

Kevin Pietersen made his first-class debut for Natal in 1997 and moved to England in 2000, after voicing his displeasure at what he said was the racial quota system in South African cricket.

Kevin Pietersen was called up by England almost immediately after he completed four years with Nottinghamshire.

Kevin Pietersen made his international debut in the One Day International match against Zimbabwe in 2004 and his Test match debut in the 2005 Ashes series against Australia.

Kevin Pietersen left Nottinghamshire for Hampshire in 2005, but the England team's subsequent reliance on him resulted in Kevin Pietersen making only a single first-class appearance for his new county between 2005 and 2010.

In June 2010, Kevin Pietersen announced his wish to leave Hampshire; he joined Surrey on loan for the remainder of the season, then moved permanently in 2011.

Kevin Pietersen was captain of the England Test and ODI teams from 4 August 2008 to 7 January 2009, but resigned after just three Tests and nine ODIs following a dispute with the England coach Peter Moores, who was sacked the same day.

Kevin Pietersen was signed by the Rising Pune Supergiants for the 2016 season of the Indian Premier League.

Kevin Pietersen is one of the fastest batsman to reach 1,000 ODI runs and still holds the record for being the fastest player to cross 2,000 runs in One Day International cricket.

Kevin Pietersen has the second-highest run total from his first 25 Tests, behind only Sir Don Bradman of Australia, and was the fastest player, in terms of days, to reach 4,000,5,000 and 7,000 Test runs.

Kevin Pietersen became only the third English batsman to top the ICC One Day International rankings, doing so in March 2007.

Kevin Pietersen was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, South Africa, to an English mother, Penny, and an Afrikaner father, Jannie.

Kevin Pietersen attended Maritzburg College, Pietermaritzburg, and made his first-class cricket debut for Natal's B team in 1997, aged 17, where he was regarded predominantly as an off spin bowler and a hard-hitting lower-order batsman.

Kevin Pietersen accepted without hesitation, keen to make the most of top-class cricket under a coach for whom he had the utmost admiration.

Kevin Pietersen did not at this stage contemplate forsaking his nation; it had not yet occurred to him that the decision would have to be taken.

Kevin Pietersen is widely portrayed in the media as having a self-assured personality, described by Geoffrey Boycott as being "cocky and confident".

Kevin Pietersen obviously has great belief in his ability but that's not quite the same thing.

Kevin Pietersen is married to former Liberty X singer Jessica Taylor.

Kevin Pietersen travelled back from touring with the England side in Barbados to be present at the birth.

Kevin Pietersen arrived at the hospital just in time for the birth.

Kevin Pietersen took leave from playing for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia to be present for the birth.

Kevin Pietersen considers South Africa his first home and England his second home, and the family split their time between Surrey and the Sabie River.

Kevin Pietersen impressed members of Nasser Hussain's England side when playing for KwaZulu Natal in 1999; he took four top-order wickets and, despite batting at number nine, scored 61 not out from 57 balls, hitting four sixes.

Kevin Pietersen felt that this was due to the country's racial quota system, in which provincial sides were required to have at least four black players.

Kevin Pietersen's view was that players should be judged on merit, and described it as "heartbreaking" when he was left out of the side, although he later reflected "it turned out it was the best thing that could have happened".

Nonetheless, Kevin Pietersen has since firmly criticised the quota system, which he feels forced him out of the country of his birth.

Kevin Pietersen has criticised Graeme Smith, who became captain of the South African side in 2003, calling him "an absolute muppet, childish and strange" and that his behaviour "leaves a lot to be desired".

In 2003, Kevin Pietersen scored 1,546 first-class runs, and 764 runs in limited overs cricket.

Kevin Pietersen was made to honour the last year of his contract at Nottinghamshire, but "didn't enjoy it at all".

Kevin Pietersen only played twice for the county in 2006, and appeared just once in 2007, with an unbeaten 66 against Ireland.

Kevin Pietersen then joined Surrey on loan from Hampshire for the remainder of the 2010 English county cricket season.

Kevin Pietersen scored a century in his first Clydesdale Bank 40 appearance against Sussex, with 116 off 105 deliveries.

Kevin Pietersen subsequently signed permanently for Surrey from the 2011 season onwards.

Kevin Pietersen had rejoined his old team in South Africa, the Dolphins, for a short stint in October 2010.

In early 2015, Kevin Pietersen withdrew from the initial stages of the 2015 Indian Premier League, instead opting to play County Championship matches, with the aim of playing for England again.

On 19 July 2017 Kevin Pietersen returned to English domestic cricket when he joined Surrey for the NatWest t20 Blast.

Kevin Pietersen was replaced by a substitute fielder in the second innings.

Kevin Pietersen had previously played for the Delhi Daredevils during the 2012 Indian Premier League Season and had his most successful IPL season by scoring 305 runs at a strike rate of 147, which included a victorious knock of 103*.

However, Kevin Pietersen was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad prior to the start of the tournament, although he could play in the later stages of the 2015 Indian Premier League season.

Kevin Pietersen played T20 cricket in the Caribbean Premier League, having signed for St Lucia Zouks for the 2014 Caribbean Premier League season.

On 6 January 2018 Kevin Pietersen announced he would retire from all forms of cricket at the end of the 2018 season.

In 2020, Kevin Pietersen came back and played in the Ultimate Kricket Challenge.

Kevin Pietersen is eligible to play for England as he has an English mother.

Flintoff was "rested" and Kevin Pietersen rushed into the squad "at the earliest opportunity".

Kevin Pietersen was upset not to be initially in the squad to tour South Africa.

Kevin Pietersen scored a 96-ball 108 not out in the tied second ODI at Bloemfontein, after which the crowd turned their backs on him as he returned to the pavilion.

Kevin Pietersen made 75 at Cape Town, then at East London Pietersen made an unbeaten 100 from only 69 balls, the fastest century by an England player in a one-day match, although England still lost by eight runs.

Kevin Pietersen's performances sparked speculation over whether he would be brought into the Test side for The Ashes later in the summer.

Kevin Pietersen made his debut in the first Ashes Test at Lord's, becoming the 626th player to play for the national side.

Kevin Pietersen had a good partnership with Andrew Flintoff where the pair put on 103 very quickly.

Kevin Pietersen was involved in two controversial decisions: he gloved his first ball from Brett Lee, but the umpire turned down the appeal, and he was later given out to a ball from Shane Warne that hit his pad then elbow before being caught by Adam Gilchrist.

Kevin Pietersen was dismissed when he was caught behind wafting at a ball outside off stump.

Under pressure to post a large score in the final Test at The Oval, Kevin Pietersen did not contribute significantly in the first innings; he scored 14 as he was bowled by Shane Warne for the first time in his Test career.

Kevin Pietersen reached his maiden test century with a driven four off the bowling of Tait before making 158, eventually being dismissed by Glenn McGrath.

Kevin Pietersen's innings included seven sixes, breaking Ian Botham's record for the most sixes by an English player in an Ashes innings.

Kevin Pietersen was named Man of the Match for his efforts, and finished the series as top scorer, with 473 runs over the five Tests, an average of 52.55, which was the highest in the series.

Kevin Pietersen was given an ECB central contract to reflect his place in the national side.

Kevin Pietersen made little impact in the first and third test.

Kevin Pietersen fared better in the second making his second Test century in the first innings.

Kevin Pietersen brought up his hundred with a six before next ball, he top-edged a pull and was out.

Kevin Pietersen was performing well in the one-day series with two explosive innings of 56 from 39 balls to help England win the first ODI, and 28 from 27 balls in the second.

Kevin Pietersen pulled a ball from Sreesanth onto his stumps.

The unhappy Kevin Pietersen was later fined 30 percent of his match fee for shaking his head and showing signs of dissent.

Kevin Pietersen posted a score of 39 in the first innings of the third test before he got a beauty from Sreesanth which moved and took the edge of the bat before being caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

In May 2006, Kevin Pietersen matched his highest Test score of 158 in the first match against Sri Lanka.

Kevin Pietersen's innings was ended when he was lbw to Chaminda Vaas.

Kevin Pietersen was out lbw, offering no shot, in the first innings at Lords for 21.

The twenty over match against Pakistan was no better, Kevin Pietersen being bowled by Mohammad Asif for a golden duck as Pakistan helped themselves to a five-wicket victory.

Kevin Pietersen made another 50 against Kenya but disappointedly made just 5 against Canada as England sealed qualification.

Kevin Pietersen made 48 in the unconvincing win against Ireland.

Kevin Pietersen made 58 against Sri Lanka before being caught and bowled by Murali.

Kevin Pietersen then failed making 10 against Bangladesh and 3 against South Africa.

In England's final match of the World Cup against the West Indies, Kevin Pietersen made 100 from 91 balls, and effected the run-out of retiring captain Brian Lara.

Kevin Pietersen finished the tournament with 444 runs, at an average of 55.5, and was described as shining in the England team "like a 100 watt bulb in a room full of candles".

Kevin Pietersen was named in the 'Team of the Tournament' by Cricinfo.

Kevin Pietersen posted his highest score of 226 in the second Test at Headingley, surpassing his previous best of 158 which he had achieved three times.

Kevin Pietersen is only the fourth batsman in Test cricket to be dismissed "hit wicket" as a result of headgear falling onto the stumps.

In contrast, Kevin Pietersen's batting was poor in the following single innings matches; he scored a total of 77 runs in five matches, recording a second-ball duck in the final ODI.

Kevin Pietersen subsequently fell to second in the official One Day International batting rankings, behind Ricky Ponting.

Kevin Pietersen himself commented that his lack of form was a result of "fatigue", and reiterated his calls for a less "hectic" match schedule.

Kevin Pietersen played in the first Test against India and in the first innings, he made 37 but not without controversy.

Kevin Pietersen edged the ball behind of Zaheer Khan to Dhoni.

Kevin Pietersen walked, but after seeing replays on the screen, he walked back to the middle and the decision was overturned.

Kevin Pietersen described this as his best century, in very testing conditions.

Kevin Pietersen scored two half-centuries in the final matches including 71 not out in the final match at Lord's, hitting the winning runs to give England the series.

Kevin Pietersen was picked for and played in the Twenty20 Championship in South Africa.

Kevin Pietersen scored another 99 runs over four more matches, ending the series with an average of 35.60.

Kevin Pietersen scored the most England fours and jointly held the record for the most England sixes with Owais Shah.

Kevin Pietersen held the highest strike rate of any England batsman.

Kevin Pietersen scored 50 in England's opening game in Sri Lanka against the Sri Lankan Cricket XI, but it took until the fourth ODI for Kevin Pietersen to find form, scoring 63 not out as England won their first series in Sri Lanka.

Kevin Pietersen was unfortunate as in the second innings on 18 he was bowled by a ball that kept low from Dilhara Fernando.

Daryl Harper, standing at the bowler's end gave the decision that the wicket had been taken, but while walking off the field, Kevin Pietersen saw a replay on the big screen and questioned the validity of the decision.

Kevin Pietersen passed 3,000 Test runs during the series, becoming the fastest player to do so, He only averaged 25.20, and failed to score a half century in a series for the first time.

Kevin Pietersen made a top score of 43 in the first of two comfortable Twenty20 matches.

Kevin Pietersen had a quiet first two Test matches, making little impression with the bat.

Kevin Pietersen produced 42 and 6 as England collapsed in their second innings.

New Zealand then came to tour England and Kevin Pietersen again struggled in the first two Test matches, scoring 3 in the first match.

Kevin Pietersen improved slightly in the second but only making 26 in the first innings and then running himself out on 42 having looked well set.

Kevin Pietersen seemed to be struggling particularly against Daniel Vettori but he showed no signs of that as he struck a century in the third Test, forming a valuable partnership with Tim Ambrose, making a crucial 115.

Kevin Pietersen hit a winning 42 not out in the Twenty20 match.

Several commentators complained that because Kevin Pietersen changed from being a right-handed to a left-handed batsman as the bowler approached his delivery stride, he was gaining an unfair advantage.

Kevin Pietersen calls for the wide law to be adjusted in one-day cricket, as bowlers are penalised for most deliveries that pass down the leg side.

Kevin Pietersen captained England in the fifth ODI against New Zealand after Paul Collingwood was banned for four games for a slow over-rate during the previous match.

Jonathan Agnew and Alec Stewart called the stroke "irresponsible" and Agnew continued, suggesting that Kevin Pietersen therefore ruled himself out of the potential reckoning for the England captaincy with Vaughan's place in the starting line-up in doubt after failing to score runs.

Kevin Pietersen however had a decent series with the bat hitting a quick 63 in the first match and 111 not out in the fifth match.

Kevin Pietersen's men returned to England before resuming the tour amid unprecedented security, to play a two-Test series.

Kevin Pietersen was highly vocal in regards to the resumption of the tour, citing a need to stand up to terrorism.

Kevin Pietersen had an aggregate of 5 runs in 2 innings in the first test being dismissed by Yuvraj Singh in the second innings which showed Pietersen's struggles against Yuvraj from the ODI series carried on.

In January 2009, following England's losses in India, the media reported that Kevin Pietersen had asked the England and Wales Cricket Board to hold emergency meetings to discuss Moores' coaching role with the team.

Days later, Kevin Pietersen made remarks to the media about there being an 'unhealthy situation' that needed to be resolved in the England camp.

Moores and Kevin Pietersen were believed to be in disagreement on several issues, including the team's training regimen, and the possible selection of former England captain Michael Vaughan for the upcoming tour of the West Indies.

On 7 January 2009, Moores was removed as England's coach by the ECB, and Kevin Pietersen unexpectedly resigned as captain.

Kevin Pietersen struggled in the one-day series that followed with his top score being 48.

Kevin Pietersen won two out of his six matches in charge before leaving to fulfil his international commitments with England; Anil Kumble took over the captaincy and led the Bangalore team to the IPL final.

Kevin Pietersen was later bought by Deccan Chargers for the 2011 season and was sold to Delhi Daredevils in the 2012 season without having played a single game for the Chargers.

Kevin Pietersen began 2009 with questions over his form, where many pundits viewed him to be in a slump.

Kevin Pietersen was dismissed first ball in the first Test against the touring West Indies side dismissed by the full, swinging ball, but in the second Test made a quick 49 before falling to an attacking shot.

Kevin Pietersen then suffered what seemed only a minor right Achilles injury and was ruled out of the ODI series, which England won.

In June 2009, Kevin Pietersen played in England's World Twenty20 warm-up match against Scotland, registering an unbeaten 53 in a six-wicket England victory.

Kevin Pietersen appeared in the news after accidentally hitting a 15-year-old school boy with a cricket ball from a straight-drive after the boy had bowled to him.

Kevin Pietersen left the boy, from Suffolk, with a signed bat as compensation.

Kevin Pietersen returned for the second match against Pakistan and top scored with 58 off 38 balls and hit 3 sixes in the 48 run victory, he top scored in the three run win over India later in the competition.

Kevin Pietersen was named in the 'Team of the Tournament' by Cricinfo for the 2009 T20I World Cup.

Kevin Pietersen joined the England Ashes squad in June 2009 for the upcoming 2009 Ashes series.

Kevin Pietersen seemed to flare up his Achilles injury again suddenly which hampered his batting a bit.

Kevin Pietersen limped when he ran and many shots ran off the inside edge which raised serious doubts for the rest of the series.

Kevin Pietersen actually did well to reach 44 before being caught behind off Siddle again.

Kevin Pietersen showed several lapses of concentration, leading some to suggest that off-field distractions and lingering issues with his removal from the captaincy were still affecting his form.

Kevin Pietersen went into the two-match tour of Bangladesh on the back of poor performances on his return from injury and led to speculation Kevin Pietersen's England place was under pressure.

Kevin Pietersen joined up with his Royal Challengers Bangalore team following the conclusion to England's tour of Bangladesh.

Kevin Pietersen showed further signs of a return to form in the IPL by scoring 236 runs with a high score of 66*, with an average of 59.00, which was the highest in the IPL.

Kevin Pietersen was selected in England's 15-man squad for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

Kevin Pietersen's tournament got off to a poor start as he made was dismissed for duck by Rory Kleinveldt in a warm up match.

In England's first match against the West Indies, Kevin Pietersen started confidently scoring 24 from 20 balls before being dismissed on the pull by Darren Sammy.

Kevin Pietersen returned in time for England's semi-final against Sri Lanka, where he scored a vital 42* from 26 balls, guiding England home to a 7 wicket victory and a place in their first ICC tournament final since the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy.

Kevin Pietersen shared in a vital stand of 111 with Kieswetter, before holing out to David Warner off the bowling of Steve Smith.

Kevin Pietersen's knock was vital in helping England secure a 7 wicket victory and their first ever major ICC tournament victory.

Kevin Pietersen played in the Bangladesh home series, however contributed only 18 in the first innings before assisting England in chasing down a modest total with 10*.

Kevin Pietersen struggled for form in an ODI series against Australia and then a Test series against Pakistan.

Kevin Pietersen was omitted from both of England's limited-overs squads to face Pakistan.

Kevin Pietersen announced the omission and loan-move to Surrey early through a Twitter message, which contained a swear-word and was quickly removed, and he apologised the following day.

England then proceeded to bowl Australia out in the final morning to win by an innings and 71 runs, and Kevin Pietersen was named man-of-the-match.

The fourth ODI, despite Kevin Pietersen making only 12 with the bat, was won by England.

Kevin Pietersen was part of England's 15-man squad for the 2011 World Cup hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka between February and March.

Kevin Pietersen earned some criticism after being sighted at a nightclub in London while injured, however he dismissed the criticism as unwarranted.

Kevin Pietersen returned from injury for the home series against Sri Lanka in May 2011.

Kevin Pietersen was picked to play against India in July 2011, and scored 202 not out at Lord's in the 1st Test.

Kevin Pietersen was rested for the ODI series against that followed the Tests.

Kevin Pietersen played a pivotal role in England's tour of Sri Lanka.

On 10 April, Kevin Pietersen started his first match in the 2012 Indian Premier League for his new team, the Delhi Daredevils.

Kevin Pietersen scored his maiden century in that format during the tournament.

In May 2012, Kevin Pietersen was fined for a Twitter outburst against ex-England opener, Nick Knight.

On 31 May 2012, Kevin Pietersen announced his retirement from one-day international cricket.

However, on 9 July 2012, Kevin Pietersen reversed his decision and suggested that he may return to ODIs in the future.

Kevin Pietersen was dropped for the third Test after failing to provide clarification about those messages, despite announcement of the squad being delayed to provide more time for him to do so.

Kevin Pietersen toured India with a successful England team under Cook, scoring 338 runs in four Tests including a century and two fifties.

Kevin Pietersen featured in the tour's ODI series, scoring 185 runs across a five-match series that ended in an English defeat.

Kevin Pietersen featured in the three-Test series in New Zealand in February 2013, scoring 73 in the second match.

Kevin Pietersen made his 100th Test appearance in the first Test.

Kevin Pietersen remained nevertheless England's leading run scorer with 294 runs.

The ECB met and announced on 4 February 2014 that Kevin Pietersen had not been selected for the upcoming tour of the Caribbean, a decision they described as "unanimous".

Media announcements immediately began stating that Kevin Pietersen's career was over.

Kevin Pietersen published his autobiography: Kevin Pietersen: Crossing the Boundary in early 2007.

Kevin Pietersen has expressed gratitude over having time for his family.

Kevin Pietersen has reiterated over the years his regret over trying "too hard to be English" at the expense of his home.

Kevin Pietersen is a prominent advocate for the welfare and conservation of endangered animals in South Africa.

Kevin Pietersen gained several awards for his performances in the 2005 season.

Kevin Pietersen was named both the ICC 'ODI Player of the Year' and 'Emerging Player of the Year' in 2005, and was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for his role in the successful 2005 Ashes series against Australia.

Kevin Pietersen played for the ICC World XI in the 2005 ICC Super Series against Australia.

Kevin Pietersen scored 23 Test centuries and 9 ODI centuries, totaling 32 centuries in his international career.