Boycott accuses KP of being 'in his own world'
Former opener Geoffrey Boycott has suggested England drop batsman Kevin Pietersen for the fourth Ashes Test, which will start at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Former opener Geoffrey Boycott has suggested England drop batsman Kevin Pietersen for the fourth Ashes Test, which will start at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
The tourists have slipped to a three-nil series defeat against Australia – and at the root of the woe has been the batsmen's inability to successfully combat an inspired opposition attack.
Seamers Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris have enjoyed a particularly solid stretch of form, while Pietersen has fallen prey to Siddle and spinner Nathan Lyon on a regular basis.
The 33-year-old right-hander, in fact, has managed just one half-century in six innings – and has copped plenty of criticism for in the wake of a slew of shoddy shot selection and irresponsible strokeplay.
"How do you tell inexperienced players such as Michael Carberry and Joe Root that you have to sell your wicket dearly and work through difficult periods in a match, but then Pietersen plays like he does? He has given his wicket away four times out of six," Boycott told the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>.
"Each time they set a trap for him and he falls for it. He is a mug and the Aussies are laughing at him. They think he is a sucker. Senior players should always give a lead to the juniors, but with Pietersen it is all about self. He is going to do whatever he wants, play the way he feels irrespective of the state of the match or what is best for England.
"I do not agree that you have to let him play the way he wants. When the best player in the team makes stupid mistakes just think what that does to the morale of the rest of the players. KP is in his own world."
Boycott implored coach Andy Flower to manage the player appropriately, as the English aim to prevent a series whitewash in Melbourne and at the Sydney Cricket Ground early next year.
"It is also a failure of management as much as KP's fault. Andy Flower has allowed him to play any way he wants because he can win matches. Every mother knows that no matter how much she loves her child she has to set boundaries," he added.
The child has to know if you cross the boundary some privileges will be taken away until you grasp right and wrong. Andy should have told him long ago it is not on. But obviously he has let him do what he wants, so he keeps making the same silly mistakes."
Latest
-
NewsOn this day 2011: England’s Matt Prior reprimanded over smashed window at Lord’s
Prior’s angry reaction came after he was run out on the final day of the second Test against Sri Lanka.
-
NewsJos Buttler hits half-century as Lancashire return to winning ways in the Blast
Opener Buttler hit 58 off 42 balls as the hosts successfully chased down 178
-
NewsJos Buttler believes Moeen Ali will thrive on return to England’s Test side
has not played an international Test for nearly two years.
-
NewsTravis Head says attention on star man Steve Smith helped him excel at Lord’s
Head hit 146 not out.
-
NewsTravis Head lays down Ashes marker with blistering century against India
Head was the standout performer as the Baggy Greens racked up 327 for three.
-
NewsMoeen Ali’s return makes England stronger – Graeme Swann
Moeen is poised to play his first red-ball cricket in almost two years.
-
NewsTravis Head hits quickfire 60 to give Australia momentum in WTC against India
Head was at his counter-punching best, reeling off 10 boundaries in 75 balls to push the pressure back on to the Indian attack.
-
NewsEngland captain Heather Knight sets sights on landmark summer of Ashes cricket
Giant images of Knight and Stokes were beamed on to one of London’s best known sights as part of the countdown to the men’s and women’s series.
-
NewsDavid Warner out for 43 just before lunch on day one of World Test Championship
Australia reached 73 for two against India by the first interval at the Kia Oval.
-
NewsMoeen Ali agrees to come out of retirement to join England’s Ashes squad
He has 64 Test caps, 195 wickets and the small matter of five Test centuries.