Is he our best player? Just playing Devils advocate. Got some runs in an awful series but there are various players who have outperformed him at some point throughout his career.

I think it's probably wise and he's free to chase his money.

Australian Test Averages Pietersen top and Cook sixth. Cook 29, Clark 33 (I think), Pietersen 34 (a batsman for gods sake). The ECB and Selectors want no part of anyone who would dare to say no to them, these are dictatorial organisations. Cook maybe a nice chap but as a Captain he just cannot cope. If they want to build a winning Squad then Pietersen has to be included. Gutless bunch of 19th century Neanderthals.

Cook maybe a nice chap but as a Captain he just cannot cope.
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How do you account for all the times that he helped us win things as Captain whilst at times hitting runs that has surpassed anything Pieterson has ever done. How do you explain that? Your comment does not make sense and like it or not he is a distraction.

Glad he had to retire.
He was the only england class batsman with Cook.
The rest are average.

South Africa and Australia are on current form the best test sides.

Robbing-Hoody - Yes he is our best batsman and was the top Englishman in the recent whitewash, but by his standards and his alone he did not do well. Quite what that says about Cook etc! Basically all they want to do is have yes men and let nobody from without the establishment be admitted.

Genuinely feels like the end of an era now that KP has gone. I don't follow cricket like I used to, so haven't much idea whether there's any genuine talent coming through to replace guys like Trott, Swann and Pietersen, but either way, I'm guessing it'll take a while for England to get back to anywhere near where they were at a few years ago.

Pathetic decision to drive KP out. England's best player in all formats. England's biggest prize draw. The only England batsman who opponents fear.

Oh well he can now make multi millions playing T20 globally.

Stokes is the only emerging talent.

Root and those other bunch of clowns can better go back to county cricket. They are out of their depth at international level.

martisbigeyes (U18651)

Did you say that when England dominated world cricket in various formats or did you champion the same ECB for instilling a new found winning mentality and world class bowling attack, complete with spinner, in a normally underachieving England side?

It's cycles and no country does as well at so many sports as England. We had it good and now it's in transition.

England have invented the three best sports in the world(Football, Rugby and cricket), so show some respect to them.

Yeah, make sure no-one describes the team as clowns and stuff. Especially young emerging talent.

Robbing Hoody - Cricketing averages say better. I admire your blind loyalty but the stats say different. And yes I have always said that about the Ecb. Did you actually watch last Summers Ashes series, did England win with a winning mentality or did the weather have a lot to do with it? The signs have been there for ages. As for transition, surely you pick your best Squad (not on potential and we will work on his technique) and then from within that Squad you pick a Captain, incidentally how the heck does a player (Captain) have a say in the selection process. It is laughable. Is there currently a better batsman in England than Pietersen? As for winning mentality, wasn't this the same core group of players that went to Australia.

Yes and I'd argue that being away from home for so long and playing so much has taken it's toll. Look at Trott. This is a player who was simply awesome for a period. Same with Cook. Swann played as poorly as I've ever seen him.

You seem to be under the impression that England should dominate at home and win away against Australia who are total cricket.

No.

England were awful for years and instead of moaning about the ECB why not recognise that it was their decisions to completely change the set up and coaching, then discipline, that gave us the success that in my opinion you are taking for granted.

England will do no worse without Pieterson over the next couple of years but I'd argue that he would hold back the team from developing into a new one.

Maybe I'm just nostalgic or something but the period that has so obviously finished is the best I have seen in my lifetime and I can accept not being at the top all of the time mainly because I remember when we were gash.

Don't know why KP is being blamed for the ashes mauling. He had no say in team matters. Was left out to the wolves on the field when he should have been in the inner circle.

I do not expect England to win all at home and away at all. What I do expect is the effort to at least show instead of look at us on holiday or Cook looking like Bright Eyes every time he gave an interview. And don't forget about the rhetoric. More than in any other Sport in this Country Cricket at National level interprets a winning mentality from such as Pietersen with disruptive behaviour. As a 'Captain' Cook should know and be able to deal with that. As others have said, how do you justify leaving your best batsman out unless it is a case of face doesn't fit.

Makes me laugh when people talk about interviews.

As you say though there must be a pretty good reason for not wanting him around.

Simple recomment by Robbing_Hoody - I bribed Guzan (U6374)
posted 3 minutes ago
Makes me laugh when people talk about interviews.

As you say though there must be a pretty good reason for not wanting him around.
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Simple reason is they want all YES men around the scene. KP likes to question things as all good players should do and he is definitely not a yes man.

Maybe he is just a unt.

Who knows?

Bottom line is when KP is in the side everyone else feels irrelevant. The media want to hear from KP, fans want to watch KP bat, sponsors are attracted to KP.

A number of members in the England side are simply jealous off KP and we all know that golden boy Cook is who they prefer to break the 10k runs barrier.

we all know that golden boy Cook is who they prefer to break the 10k runs barrier.
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I didn't know that. Where did you read it?

comment by Robbing_Hoody - I bribed Guzan (U6374)
posted 30 seconds ago
we all know that golden boy Cook is who they prefer to break the 10k runs barrier.
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I didn't know that. Where did you read it?
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I'm speculating

Both have similar test records and both want to break the 10k barrier.

But if Cook is so rubbish how is he even near that milestone?

Agree with you there Kash. It was neck and neck between the 2 however Cook is the chosen one even though he is utterly clueless when the going gets tough.

I hope England enjoy have that d1c k root and with Ballance and Bairstow in the team.

Only Buttler if he gets a chance has abit of x factor when he plays.

comment by Robbing_Hoody - I bribed Guzan (U6374)
posted 2 minutes ago
But if Cook is so rubbish how is he even near that milestone?
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Don't think Cook is rubbish but he has been technically exposed. He needs to work on his game.

Cook who averages 50 against Australia. That Cook? England got smashed away to Australia and most played poorly. They got done and the Aussies were mad for it. You act like it's the first time it's happened or something.