Kevin Pietersen facts for kids
Pietersen in 2014
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name |
Kevin Peter Pietersen
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 June 1980 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | KP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Top-order batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 626) | 21 July 2005 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 3 January 2014 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 185) | 28 November 2004 v Zimbabwe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 16 September 2013 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 7) | 13 June 2005 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 27 June 2013 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997/98 | Natal B (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998/99 | KwaZulu Natal B (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998/99–1999/00 | KwaZulu Natal (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Nottinghamshire (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Marylebone Cricket Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2010 | Hampshire (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Royal Challengers Bangalore (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2017 | Surrey (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010/11 | Dolphins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Delhi Daredevils (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | St Lucia Stars (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014/15–2017/18 | Melbourne Stars (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015/16–2016/17 | Dolphins (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Quetta Gladiators (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Rising Pune Supergiants (squad no. 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 4 May 2019
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kevin Peter Pietersen (born 27 June 1980) is a famous former England international cricketer. Many people think he is one of the best English batsmen ever. He was a right-handed batsman and sometimes bowled off spin. He played for England in all three types of cricket from 2004 to 2014. He even led the team as captain for a short time. In 2010, he won the Player of the Series award at the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. This helped England win their first major cricket trophy.
Pietersen was born in South Africa. His father was Afrikaner and his mother was English. He started playing first-class cricket for Natal in 1997. In 2000, he moved to England. He was unhappy with the racial quota system in South African cricket. Because his mother was English, he could play for England after living there for four years. He joined the England team soon after playing for Nottinghamshire. His first international game was a One Day International (ODI) against Zimbabwe in 2004. He played his first Test match in the 2005 Ashes series against Australia.
Pietersen later played for other teams like Hampshire and Surrey. He was England's Test and ODI captain from August 2008 to January 2009. He resigned after a disagreement with the England coach, Peter Moores. This event affected his relationship with the ECB. He also played for teams around the world, like the Melbourne Stars in Australia and the Quetta Gladiators in Pakistan.
Pietersen is known for being one of the fastest batsmen to score 1,000 and 2,000 runs in ODI cricket. He also reached 4,000, 5,000, and 7,000 Test runs faster than most players. In 2007, he became one of only three English batsmen to be ranked number one in ODI cricket. Many experts have called him "England's greatest modern batsman."
Contents
Early Life and Family
Pietersen was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. His mother, Penny, was English, and his father, Jannie, was Afrikaner. Kevin grew up with three brothers, Tony, Greg, and Bryan. He learned a lot from his strict but loving parents. He said discipline taught him that he didn't always get what he wanted.
When he was 11, a forearm injury stopped him from playing rugby. But he played other sports like hockey, tennis, and squash. These sports made his right arm very strong for batting.
He started playing first-class cricket for Natal's B team at age 17. He was mainly a bowler who could hit the ball hard. In 2000, he played for a club team in England. He didn't love his first time in England, but it made him a better batsman.
Pietersen is married to Jessica Taylor, a former singer from the band Liberty X. They got married in 2007. They have two children, a son born in 2010 and a daughter born in 2015. Kevin traveled from his cricket tours to be there for both births. The family divides their time between Surrey, England, and the Sabie River area in South Africa.
Pietersen is known for his confident personality. He also had unusual haircuts, like a peroxide blonde streak during the 2005 Ashes series. His nicknames include "KP," "Kelves," and "Kapes."
Playing for Different Teams
Early Cricket in South Africa
In 1999, Pietersen impressed England players while playing for KwaZulu Natal. He took four wickets and scored 61 runs. England's captain, Nasser Hussain, suggested he get a contract with an English county team.
Pietersen felt he was dropped from his South African team because of a racial quota system. This system required teams to have a certain number of black players. He believed players should be chosen based on their skill. He said it was "heartbreaking" but also "the best thing that could have happened" for his career.
Playing in England
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
In 2000, Nottinghamshire offered Pietersen a contract. He scored his first major century in his first game for them. In his first season, he made 1,275 runs, showing great batting skill. He continued this good form in the next year, scoring four centuries in one week.
After his team was moved to a lower league in 2003, Pietersen wanted to leave. He felt the cricket pitch wasn't good enough. He had to stay for one more year but said he "didn't enjoy it at all."
Hampshire County Cricket Club
In 2004, Pietersen joined Hampshire. Because he was often playing for the England team, he didn't play much for Hampshire. He only played a few games between 2005 and 2010. In 2010, he decided to leave Hampshire to be closer to his home in London.
Surrey County Cricket Club
Pietersen then joined Surrey on a temporary basis in 2010. He scored a century in his first game for them. He later signed a permanent deal with Surrey in 2011.
In 2015, Pietersen played county matches to try and get back into the England team. He scored his highest ever first-class score of 355 not out. However, the new Director of Cricket for England, Andrew Strauss, told him he would not be chosen for England again.
In 2017, Pietersen played for Surrey again in a Twenty20 competition. He scored 52 runs in one game, hitting four sixes in a row. He later announced he would leave Surrey and English cricket. He also said he would donate all his earnings to help save rhinos.
Playing Around the World
Indian Premier League (IPL)
Pietersen played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for several teams. In 2014, the Delhi Daredevils bought him for a lot of money, and he was their captain. He had his best IPL season in 2012, scoring 305 runs, including a century. He also played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rising Pune Supergiants.
Melbourne Stars
In 2014, Pietersen joined the Melbourne Stars in Australia's Big Bash League. He was a big hit and helped the team reach their first Grand Final in 2016. He played for them until 2018.
Other Leagues
Pietersen also played Twenty20 cricket in the Caribbean Premier League for St Lucia Zouks and for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League.
In 2018, Pietersen announced he would retire from all forms of cricket at the end of the season. He did play in a special "Ultimate Cricket Challenge" in 2020.
International Cricket Career
Starting with England
Pietersen could play for England because his mother was English. After playing county cricket for four years, he was quickly chosen for the England team. His first international game was against Zimbabwe in 2004. He scored 77 runs not out in one game, helping England win the series.
Success in South Africa
Pietersen was very keen to play against South Africa. He scored 97 runs in a warm-up game. During the tour, South African fans were not happy with him, seeing him as a "traitor."
But Pietersen played amazingly well. He scored 108 runs not out in one game and 100 runs not out from only 69 balls in another. This was the fastest century by an England player in a one-day match. He ended the series with 454 runs and won the Player of the Series award. By the end, even the South African crowds respected his skills.
Winning the Ashes in 2005
Pietersen made his Test debut in the first Ashes Test against Australia in 2005. He scored 57 runs in his first innings and 64 runs not out in the second. He was the fourth player to be the top scorer in both innings on debut for England. England lost that first match.
In the final Test at The Oval, Pietersen was under pressure. He was dropped by fielders three times early in his innings. He then scored his first Test century, hitting 158 runs. This helped England win the Ashes for the first time in many years. He hit seven sixes in that innings, breaking a record. Pietersen was named Man of the Match and was the top scorer in the series with 473 runs.
Playing Around the World (2005-2007)
Pietersen had some ups and downs in Test matches against Pakistan and India. He scored his second Test century against Pakistan. In India, he was fined for showing disagreement with an umpire's decision. He continued to score quickly in one-day games, reaching 1,000 ODI runs in just 21 innings, matching a record.
In 2006, he scored 158 runs against Sri Lanka, matching his highest Test score. He then made 142 runs against Sri Lanka again, hitting a "switch-hit" sweep for six. This shot involved changing his batting stance and hands as the bowler ran in. This performance moved him into the top ten of the world rankings.
During the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia, Pietersen was England's best batsman. He scored 490 runs in five matches, including another 158 runs in the second Test. However, England lost the series 5–0.
World Cup and Big Scores (2007)
In the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Pietersen scored 60 against New Zealand and 50 against Kenya. He made 104 runs against Australia, which was the first World Cup century by an Englishman against Australia since 1996. He also scored 100 runs against the West Indies, reaching 2,000 ODI runs in 51 matches, equaling another record. He was named in the 'Team of the Tournament'.
Later in 2007, Pietersen scored his highest Test score of 226 against the West Indies. This was the highest Test score for England since 1990. He also passed 2,500 runs in Test cricket. In one game, his helmet fell onto his stumps, causing him to be out in a very unusual way.
He then played in the Twenty20 Championship in South Africa. He hit 79 runs off 37 balls against Zimbabwe, his highest Twenty20 score.
The "Switch-Hit" Shot
In 2008, Pietersen became famous for his "switch-hit" shot. While facing a bowler, he would quickly change from being a right-handed batsman to a left-handed one, or vice versa. He hit two sixes using this shot. This shot caused a lot of discussion. Some people thought it was unfair because it changed how the rules applied to the batsman. However, the rules of cricket said the shot was legal.
England Captaincy (2008-2009)
Pietersen became England's Test and ODI captain in August 2008. He scored a century in his first match as captain against South Africa. England then beat South Africa 4–0 in the ODI matches.
However, his time as captain was short. In January 2009, there were reports of disagreements between Pietersen and the England coach, Peter Moores. Pietersen resigned as captain, and Moores was also removed from his role. Pietersen later said he didn't intend to resign but was told he was.
After Captaincy and Injuries (2009-2011)
After resigning, Pietersen continued to play well. He scored 97 runs in his first Test innings in the West Indies. He also scored his fastest Test century, 102 runs off 92 balls.
In 2009, he played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and was captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team for a short time. He then suffered an Achilles injury, which kept him out of cricket for a while.
In 2010, Pietersen returned from injury and played well in Bangladesh. He also had a great performance in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies. He scored 73 runs not out against Pakistan and 53 runs against South Africa. He even flew home for the birth of his son and then returned for the semi-final. In the final against Australia, he scored 47 runs, helping England win their first major ICC trophy. He was named man of the series.
In the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia, Pietersen scored his second Test double-century, making 227 runs. England won the series.
In 2011, Pietersen had to leave the 2011 Cricket World Cup early due to a hernia injury. He returned later that year and scored 202 runs not out at Lord's against India. He also passed 6,000 runs in Tests, reaching this milestone faster than anyone else in terms of time.
Later Career and Retirement (2012-2014)
In 2012, Pietersen scored his 20th Test century against Sri Lanka. He also played in the IPL, scoring his first century in that format.
In May 2012, Pietersen announced he was retiring from one-day international cricket. He later changed his mind, but his relationship with the England team became difficult. He was dropped from the team after reports of text messages he sent about teammates.
Pietersen returned to the England team in October 2012. He played well in India, scoring 338 runs, including a century. He reached 22 Test centuries, matching an England record.
In the 2013-14 Ashes series, Pietersen played his 100th Test match. England lost the series 5–0, and Pietersen's performances were not as strong. After the tour, the England Cricket Board decided that Pietersen would no longer be considered for international selection. He released a statement saying he was "hugely proud" of what he had achieved with the team.
Life After Cricket
After retiring from playing, Kevin Pietersen wrote his autobiography, KP: The Autobiography, in 2014.
Pietersen is very passionate about helping endangered animals in South Africa. In 2018, he opened Umganu Lodge, a luxury resort near Kruger National Park. This resort helps raise awareness for animal conservation. He also started a charity called Saving Our Rhinos Africa & India (SORAI) to protect rhinos.
In 2019, he was featured in a podcast called Beast of Man, which talked about his efforts to fight illegal poaching of rhinos.
Achievements and Awards
Awards
Pietersen received many awards for his great performances. In 2005, he was named the ICC ‘ODI Player of the Year’ and ‘Emerging Player of the Year’. He was also one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for his role in winning the 2005 Ashes series. In 2006, he was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award for his services to cricket.
Records
- He has the second-highest run total from his first 25 Test matches, only behind the legendary Sir Don Bradman.
- He was the fourth Englishman to be the top scorer in both innings of his debut Test match.
- He reached 5,000 Test runs faster than anyone else in terms of time, doing it in 4 years and 243 days.
International Centuries
Pietersen scored a total of 32 centuries in his international career. This includes 23 centuries in Test matches and 9 centuries in One Day Internationals.
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Pietersen para niños
