England should recall Kevin Pietersen, says Kumar Sangakarra
Thursday 30 April 2015 17:48, UK
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara believes Surrey team-mate Kevin Pietersen would offer a welcome boost to England if they allowed him back into the international set-up.
Pietersen has not played for England since the 2013/14 Ashes series in Australia following a series of high-profile disagreements with team-mates and management.
But Sangakarra feels the batsman, who has scored 23 Test hundreds to leave him second behind current captain Alastair Cook in the all-time list of England centurions, can still prove invaluable if he is handled properly.
"He is controversial and he is slightly different in the way he thinks and the way he plays," Sangakkara told Sky Sports News HQ.
"In Sri Lanka, we've had players like that who are very different and there is a place for individuality and difference in a dressing room.
"The key factor is that everyone buys into one strategy, one objective as a team, and within that structure, you need to allow individuals to thrive, make mistakes and experiment.
"You need people with a bit of ‘x-factor’, who can win you games, so I think KP’s addition to the England side, hopefully over this Ashes summer, would be fantastic.
"It is a case of sitting down and seeing where England’s plans lie, whether KP fits in, and I hope he does because I think he can add a lot to English cricket."
England face West Indies in the third and final Test of their current tour. Coverage begins this Friday on Sky Sports 2 at 2:30pm.
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