The jury is out on KP yet again

Evidence to prove Kevin Pietersen is in good form is sketchy. Can he offer some proof in Cardiff, asks Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.

Something happened and it has not yet unhappened. He has been afflicted by injuries in the past two years and his batting has mislaid the carefree fluency of yore. Maybe bowlers know a bit more about him, but sometimes he has been in several minds at the crease and what was outrageously successful has looked daft. The risks that once paid dividends in a bull market have cost him dearly in a bear market.

In the Daily Telegraph, Simon Hughes says Andrew Strauss has perfected the art of captaincy and backs him to propel England to the No.1 ranking in Tests.

James Anderson aims high and says England will target beating Sri Lanka and India convincingly to achieve the No.1 Test ranking in the Daily Mail.

In the Guardian, Mike Selvey says the retirement of Paul Collingwood from Tests has meant that Graeme Swann has lost an important ally in that format, in the slips.