Kevin Pietersen passes initial test for England
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
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As England's new captain, Kevin Pietersen was too impatient to make up for the time lost, but overall it has been a superlative first attempt at Test captaincy, writes Scyld Berry in the Sunday Telegraph.
Pietersen has been decisive and unfussy (banning the huddle was a significant start). He has been himself, not striving for ostentation or effect (or at least no more than usual). He has been generous towards his men, enjoying their individual success, and paternal towards the youngest player most needing encouragement, Stuart Broad. He has inspired some players, notably Steve Harmison. He has been energy itself in the field since taking over, whereas white South Africans in general have not radiated total commitment while fielding for England.
Also the Observer, Jon Henderson charts Pietersen's progress before he made it big.
On his first assignment in England in 2000 he played for Cannock in the Birmingham League, did not come back and later revealed he had not much cared for the Staffordshire club; he then bolted from South Africa, having told the authorities there what he thought of their quota system; and he departed his first English county, Nottinghamshire, with the air heavy with acrimony. What we must now wait to find out is whether those departures were simply Pietersen hurrying towards the fulfilment he craved, the captaincy of a national side - or whether the door-banging will continue.
Simon Wilde also spoke to people associated with Pietersen during his formative cricket years in the Sunday Times.
If he did not know it before, Pietersen will be fully aware by now that England have receded since 2005. They are becoming as dependent on him as asickly child on its mother. In three of their last seven victories, he has scored hundreds. He may be about to make it four out of eight, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent on Sunday.
Also in the Independent on Sunday Stephen Fay is of the opinion that Pietersen’s problem is that England's future will not depend on him waking up in the morning with the intention of getting better. His colleagues will need to get better too.
In the Sunday Times, David Gower writes: A team that has already lost a series needs a dose of tender loving care, and that is what Pietersen delivered by the bucket, along with plenty of positive energy. He was in touch in a tactile fashion and mentally with every one of his players, and their response was excellent.
In the Independent on Sunday, Angus Fraser feels England’s bowlers appear to have responded positively to Pietersen as captain.
"He [Pietersen] also told us quite openly that because he had such limited experience, he was going to be relying on us for our help. It was impressive stuff, even to those of us who have been around the block. When he invited everyone there to have their say as well, it was clear he is going to be a captain who listens as well as he talks," writes Steve Harmison in the Mail on Sunday.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo