The Strauss Dilemma

After last winter I was 50/50 on whether Andrew Strauss should continue as captain/ player in the England team. For three years he hadn’t been scoring the runs required of a frontline batsman and then England had performed so badly as a team last winter it was only right to look at areas of improvement within the team. Given that it has only got worse for Strauss (barring some runs against a poor WI) you would think I was definitely in the people wanting Strauss gone.

But no, now would actually be a terrible time for Strauss to go. Were he to go, 3 of the top 6 spots would be in a state of flux and with a tour of India to come it would be a terrifying time to take 3 rookies to the subcontinent hoping to come away with anything other than a thrashing. 

You would be looking at a potential top 6 of

Root

Cook

Trott

Bell

Taylor

Bairstow 

A terrifying thought considering only Cook and Bell have played test cricket in India. Take South Africa in this current series. This was Kallis' fourth playing series in England. Smith's 3rd, Rudolph 2nd, De Villiers 2nd, Amla 2nd and Petersen 1st. Petersen with Rudolph also have extensive recent experience in county cricket. Endless experience has lead to South Africa outperforming a strong England in their home conditions- there simply will be no chance of England replicating this in India with the top 6 above no matter how promising Root, Taylor and Bairstow are.

Strauss has actually performed very well in India (averaging 54 in tests and 46 in ODIs) and should he get past Zaheer Khan’s initial bursts he will find it easier to provide matchwinning runs that are required. He is also a master at keeping the press happy and nothing seems to faze him off the pitch and that should help on the mystery of a tour which India is. Kevin Pietersen's finest hour was arguably as captain came in India after the Mumbai attacks where he represented England and himself astutely and with great care.

Were the board thinking of displacing Strauss as captain making a massive issue out of the Pietersen situation and dropping him would not make much sense. For that reason you could garner that from within the ECB Strauss is liked and even though results have been poor recently they completely back Strauss and his leadership. The whole KP situation would be a hell of shitstorm to leave on Alaistair Cook’s doorstep on his first day; Strauss and Flower followed this path with Pietersen, they have to follow through in whatever way they deem necessary. To leave early would be a dereliction of duty by Strauss and poor parting gift to leave to his friend Cook.

At the end of the day Andrew Strauss may decide on his own that there is no turning around his form and retire as a result. At present he doesn’t look like he wants his career to end and him retiring would do England no favours in the short term and might have longer term affects in denting the confidence of any number of rookies. England needs Strauss’ cool head in India; anything further on is less certain.

Some thoughts on the KP situation

With the news that the ECB put back their squad selection from 9.30am to 2.30pm this Sunday you can only assume that Pietersen had been dropped. His youtube video may just have saved him and forced a rethink with the selectors. If KP was to be dropped, who would take his place and had he been notified prior to KP’s video? If Jonny Bairstow or Chris Woakes had been told they were in and now find themselves not in the squad a great deal of resentment will grow between the two. Their most likely is already a great deal of resentment in the dressing room towards KP. Not as suggested because of his IPL contract but because of his selfish and individualistic ways which don’t seem to take into account any of his colleagues. The England guys respect his talent and understand why he is paid a load to play IPL; Who would want to watch Ali Cook play IPL? What they don’t like is someone who is seemingly only interested in himself and is putting the team ethic of England into question.

The problem with dropping KP currently is replacements. The number 6 spot seems to be permanently open. Since Paul Collingwood’s retirement England have selected 5 different no.6’s. Morgan, Bopara, Prior(batted 6 when Patel at 7),Bairstow and  Taylor. Taylor is the most recent and had a promising start but there is no guarantee he will secure this spot. Take into account the indifferent form of Andrew Strauss who is coming to the end of his career paired with the number 6 spot and Pietersen and there could be 3 spots in the top 6 up for grabs and no obvious replacements. Personally I don’t think there are any replacements currently ready. Joe Root looks a good long term bet as opener but needs a couple of years. Stokes and Bairstow are good prospects and could bat at 4 and 6 but neither is yet test quality. It would be a disaster if KP was to go with Strauss' career seemingly close to an end and the number 6 spot up in the air.

Without KP for the T20 world cup England had no chance. Should he play we have an outside chance of winning. In ODI cricket KP has struggled for a while. He has the talent to be dominant but in the last 4 years he has been poor. There is no point having a Pietersen who doesn’t want to be playing. Pick and choose his series in ODI cricket and make sure he is fit and available for the next world cup. In test cricket Pietersen has been inconsistent and is not as important as some people suggest. England could survive without KP in test cricket but it would be a lot less exciting without him.

KP T20>> KP Test >> KP ODI  

KP needs new friends. Whether it’s Piers Morgan, Lalit Modi or whoever who is blowing smoke up KP’s backside they aren’t advising KP well and they’ve not got KP’s best interests at heart.

There can be individuals in a team. There can be players in a team who are not liked. KP is an individual and is not particularly liked by most in the dressing room. The dressing room does respect his talent though. Generally they will put up with a lot if he is performing. Unfortunately these last few weeks have pushed Pietersen’s teammates to the brink. The video and clear the air chat may bring it back from the brink but if Pietersen is back in the squad he will have to keep his mouth shut and free of controversy for the foreseeable future if he doesn’t want to stir up the tensions that are already there. If selected he is in a last chance saloon.