Pietersen weighs up options

Captain delays naming side for the second Test

Last updated: 18th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Pietersen weighs up options

Pietersen: Options

There are guys who have come on this trip who are raring to go and wanting to play and it's just about making a decision on who the best team is to try and win a Test match and try and play positive cricket.

Kevin Pietersen
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England captain Kevin Pietersen has delayed naming his team for the final Test against India.

Pietersen has previously preferred to announce his line-up a day in advance of matches - however he has now opted to wait until Friday before confirming his side.

Having lost in Chennai, England need a win in Mohali to level the series - with Stuart Broad, Owais Shah, Amjad Khan and Adil Rashid all pushing hard for inclusion.

And Pietersen admits he is weighing up a number of options about how to approach the game.

"There are a few things were thinking about," said Pietersen.

"There are guys who have come on this trip who are raring to go and wanting to play and it's just about making a decision on who the best team is to try and win a Test match and try and play positive cricket."

England have not enjoyed the best of times in India, having been thrashed 5-0 in the one-day series and then lost the first Test having dominated for long periods.

However, Pietersen insists his players are determined to set the record straight.

Focusing

"We haven't won anything for the first part of this winter so it's pretty simple - the lads want to win a Test match, the lads want to win a game for the first time this winter," said Pietersen.

"The lads are up for it and are raring to go. I thought the day after the Test would be a quiet day but the boys are fine, the boys are really focused now on doing what they can and not focusing on what's happened in the past."

And Pietersen claims England's poor run of form - which includes the Stanford Series defeat - has just made him all the more focused on finding the winning formula.

"What it does do is make you try and get up for the next fixture," he said.

"I'm a winner and this team is full of winners and they hate losing as much as anyone else hates losing.

"The more you lose you can let it distract you and let it get you down, but to get as close as we did do the other day was fantastic although we got pipped at the post.

"I think it gets you up more and more the next day to try and put in a better performance. We just want to win."

Comments (4)

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Adam Beck says...

Come on and lets see Owais Shah get a chance in the side. Drop Bell who unfortunatley is low on form and bring in Shah. If a spinner has to be dropped, then keep Monty who shouldnt be punished for having one poor game out of having numerous good games. And then bring back Broad.

Posted 19:04 18th December 2008

George Staples says...

Yes Kevin we've heard it all before!! What are the odds on the same tired favoured few selections being again included in the Test squad? Until Pieterson learns to man manage and become more tactically aware, he will always lose matches. Take Dhoni as a fine example of a captain, he doesn't gesticulate, wave his arms wildly or wait for a camera before moving a player in the field. He is calmness p[ersonified and he can manage a highly experienced and talented squad. If Pieterson is to persist with Anderson, Harmison and Bell under the guise of loyalty, he is a doomed captain. His field placing in the first test was awful and he seemed devoid of ideas - when in doubt give the ball to Flintoft was his only tactical thought. George Staples

Posted 18:02 18th December 2008

James M says...

I like to add a simple fact... Monty was not in the 5-0 1day whitewash. So is it really Monty at fault for losing the test or should the team own up that they need to be the ones answering the critics?

Posted 16:25 18th December 2008

Steve Haden says...

IF YOUR NOT CALLED BELL,YOUR NOT COMING IN......Yet again it appears it's harder to get out of the test side then it does to get in it.The selectors once again name an unchanged batting line up for the 2nd test in India,now theres a suprise.In the 11 tests this year ONE change has been made,and that was a forced change when Vaughan retired.In form Owais Shah must wonder just what he has done to upset the selectors.The selectors have always denied the closed shop suggestion.....yet again they leave the door open to the fact the England test side is indeed very much a closed shop.Facts don't lie.

Posted 15:22 18th December 2008
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