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
-
News
Ollie Robinson and Dom Sibley get chance to push Test claims in County Select XI
The duo, who have 31 international caps between them, will be hoping to make an impression against New Zealand.
-
News
England’s new dawn and Commonwealth Games – cricket’s summer highlights
The Hundred returns for a second season while India return to finish last summer’s Test series.
-
News
Zak Crawley ready to raise his game for England
The batter has made a modest start to the county season.
-
News
Zak Crawley rediscovers form as Kent’s clash with Northamptonshire is drawn
Crawley started the week averaging under 20 in this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship.
-
News
India recall Cheteshwar Pujara for rescheduled Test against England
The 34-year-old has scored four hundreds in eight innings for Sussex this season.
-
News
Keith Barker blows away Somerset to help Hampshire to victory
The visitors needed just one run in their second innings to seal victory.
-
News
Craig Overton claims 400th first-class wicket in Somerset-Hampshire clash
The England seamer’s three-wicket burst left the contest delicately balanced at the halfway stage.
-
News
Three positive Covid tests confirmed in New Zealand’s tour party
Batter Henry Nicholls, seamer Blair Tickner and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen will self-isolate for five days.
-
News
Zak Crawley outdone by Ben Compton as Kent start strongly at Northamptonshire
Opener Compton stole the show with an unbeaten 125.
-
News
Mark Wood admits frustration over slow progress from elbow surgery
Wood is targeting a Test return towards the back end of the summer.