New England Captain

It appears its going to be KP but only to keep away from the IPL.Rumours have it that Vaughan had lost the dressing room too.

It's got to be Kevin Pietersen if we are serious about winning!

When did a Hampshire player last captain England?

KP seems a shoe in. About the only player guarenteed a place in both squads.

Hardly worth calling him a Hants player though!

If they choose KP, which looks likely to the point of near-certainty, I reckon it could go one of two ways. It could be the making of him as a cricketer, or it could prove a disaster. Captaincy did no favours at all to Ian Botham or indeed Andrew Flintoff, but I get the impression that, behind the brash exterior, KP is a far greater thinker about the game than either of those two.

Here's a question, and the way you see the answer will, I think, say a lot about your thoughts as to KP's suitability or otherwise: if he'd been captain on Friday, would he have got out as he did when on 94, with a century and so much more there for the taking? My own feeling is that I wouldn't want to see a captain doing that, so I'd hope that he'd have shown more patience. On the other hand, would you lose a lot of KP's essence as a player if he had to rein in the impetuous streak which he so clearly has?

If they choose KP, which looks likely to the point of near-certainty, I reckon it could go one of two ways. It could be the making of him as a cricketer, or it could prove a disaster. Captaincy did no favours at all to Ian Botham or indeed Andrew Flintoff, but I get the impression that, behind the brash exterior, KP is a far greater thinker about the game than either of those two.

 

Here's a question, and the way you see the answer will, I think, say a lot about your thoughts as to KP's suitability or otherwise: if he'd been captain on Friday, would he have got out as he did when on 94, with a century and so much more there for the taking? My own feeling is that I wouldn't want to see a captain doing that, so I'd hope that he'd have shown more patience. On the other hand, would you lose a lot of KP's essence as a player if he had to rein in the impetuous streak which he so clearly has?

The worry for me is that if he's made captain will his thoughts be pre-occupied by the bigger picture thus either effecting his batting by not thinking enough about it or by making him try to adjust his normal style by thinking he needs to bat more responsibly?? Neither of which would mean he was batting at his best!!

i know MV has had a bad time of it of late and it is the right thing to do but i would just like to say thankyou for the good times, 2003 and all that, brilliant. Lets hope this new era, for who ever it is gets the same result next summer

Hopefully Vaughan can go away and play for Yorkshire without the pressure of being England captain and regain some of the form he showed half a decade ago.

Personally i think Vaughan has been a good captain but had it tough of late, he was the right man for the job at the right time but its also correct for him to step down now. KP a fear good be a very bad choice, though i honestly cant think of anyone else that could step up

I've always though Vaughan's captaincy was one of England's stronger points and I had hoped he could have remained until next summer. His form combined with what seems to be problems behind the scenes though probably makes this as good a time as any to step down and give a new captain some time to bed in before the Aussies arrive.

KP is the obvious choice for capatain, but Cook is another possibility for test captaincy (if Colly remains as ODI captain). What worries more though is the relationship between coach, captain and selectors. Who's calling the shots?

Does Cook really have the personality (or experience) for this job?

I've always though Vaughan's captaincy was one of England's stronger points and I had hoped he could have remained until next summer. His form combined with what seems to be problems behind the scenes though probably makes this as good a time as any to step down and give a new captain some time to bed in before the Aussies arrive.

 

KP is the obvious choice for capatain, but Cook is another possibility for test captaincy (if Colly remains as ODI captain). What worries more though is the relationship between coach, captain and selectors. Who's calling the shots?

Colly has also resigned as ODI captain (same press conference)

Does Cook really have the personality (or experience) for this job?

He seems quite a calm person (like Fleming) and an intelligent cricketer. He is likely to be a fixture in the test team for a good few years yet (barring catastrophic loss of form). So on that score I think he would make a good captain. As for experience, Graham Smith was younger than Cook when he took over the SA job.

I just hope the selectors don't just give the job to KP as a knee jerk reaction without seriously considering other options.

Colly has also resigned as ODI captain (same press conference)

oops, missed that, but considering that test and ODI teams are quite seperate now, the idea of seperate captaincy isn't a bad one! KP for ODI & Twenty20 captain?

So it is Pietersen - the right decision in my view. This may signal a new era.

KP is choice as Cook is still finding his game although for one so young his record is terrific and Strauss hasn't been on top form for at least 2 years. Plus KP is the only one of the three to be a shoe-in for the ODI squad. What the ECB have to do though to help KP is fire Peter Moores and Geoff "Dusty" Miller and Ashley Giles. Moores is counties-boy out of his depth and on the BBC Sport website Boycott is talking about Moores not knowing Vaughan was going and comments "he's been late on the ball for a while now". He's actually talking about Vaughan but could be talking about Moores too. Miller and Giles just pick their buddies and if we stick with these 3 clowns, we'll end up with a medium pace attack next summer that the Aussies slaughter and we'll lose 5-0 again. If you are going to pick a fast bowler, make them fast.

KP needs the sort of help that Hussain and Vaughan had from a world-class coach in Fletcher. Whereas Moores and co think that a pure swing bowler will take wickets at this level. Look at Hoggard before his legs went - Troy Cooley helped him add a few mph in speed, a sharper bouncer that kept batsmen back and stock balls and cutters for when it wasn't swinging conditions.

Is it only me who thinks KP is not intelligent enough and far to vain to be England captain?

Is it only me who thinks KP is not intelligent enough and far to vain to be England captain?

I'm sure it's not, but I wouldn't agree on either count. KP is a highly intelligent cricketer - don't be deceived by the brash exterior and the occasional rush of blood to the head. He thinks a great deal about his own game, and apparently is the hardest trainer in the England squad.

There's certainly a level of risk there, but then there would be with any appointment. It'll be interesting to see how it works out.

A bold and radical decision - if it pays off we could move into some golden years.