Will K.P ever be an all-time great?

[slowfinger]

Felt that is that time of his career that he decides his future, discuss...

 

[social]

In a word. "no"

He's past his physical peak with an average technique and not playing for "his" country

Reckon he'll be gone within a couple of years unless it's for money

 

[BoyBrumby]

Felt that is that time of his career that he decides his future, discuss...

Will be 30 this year and supposedly approaching his peak as a batsman so I'm inclined to agree. Time to put away childish things and all that.

I think there are two schools of thought with Pietersen: the first says he gets himself out in daft ways too often and his average doesn't (& won't) do justice to his (obviously considerable) talent; the second, however, says "it's KP, innit? 'Sway he plays" and he's best left to get on with it.

I have sympathy with both views, tbh. I could do without shots like the one in the first innings at Cardiff where he fetched a Doogie Hauritz lollipop from 18 inches outside off and attempted to sweep it onto the leg side, but equally he does look a more fluent player when he goes for his shots. He's never going to be Jacques Kallis, but perhaps middle period KP might begin to exercise a wee bit more discretion at times.

 

[King Pietersen]

I'd love to see KP finally kick on and make the most of his obvious talent, but I just don't see it happening. I think he'll end his career as one of those players that had heaps of talent, but never really took full advantage of it. Who knows though, the birth of his first child could lead him to 'mature' as a cricketer and put slightly more value on his wicket.

 

[vcs]

He's averaging 50 with success under all conditions/opposition, so he's not far off. I'd like to see him subjugate his ego somewhat and show that he is capable of playing knocks where he holds the innings together and other batsmen go after the bowling, that is a dimension I haven't seen from him.

 

[Himannv]

I dont think he'll make it to an all time great status. He's a talented player for certain, but I dont think its likely that he will convert that into an all time great status.

 

[social]

He's averaging 50 with success under all conditions/opposition, so he's not far off. I'd like to see him subjugate his ego somewhat and show that he is capable of playing knocks where he holds the innings together and other batsmen go after the bowling, that is a dimension I haven't seen from him.

He may average about 50 but his best records are against a less than geat Oz, crap WI and the Bangas

Against everyone else, he's low to mid 40s and in all honesty, that's his level

Style over substance IMO

 

[vcs]

He may average about 50 but his best records are against a less than geat Oz, crap WI and the Bangas

Against everyone else, he's low to mid 40s and in all honesty, that's his level

Style over substance IMO

I'm no KP fan but you can't knock his runs against Oz. Their bowling attack had McGrath and Warne.

 

[King Pietersen]

He may average about 50 but his best records are against a less than geat Oz, crap WI and the Bangas

Less than great? =/ He averaged over 50 against McGrath and Warne.

 

[social]

Oh please

He's scored runs off an old Warne and a geriatric and/or crocked McGrath

However, KP made his name at the Oval when Warne dropped a sitter off him on 0 and he's never come close to scaling the same heights again

 

[marc71178]

Someone's a bit bitter there methinks.

 

[social]

Nope

If anyone thinks he's in the same street as Tendy, Dravid, Ponting and Kallis then they're simply deluding themselves

 

[zaremba]

Oh please

He's scored runs off an old Warne and a geriatric and/or crocked McGrath

However, KP made his name at the Oval when Warne dropped a sitter off him on 0 and he's never come close to scaling the same heights again

An old Warne whose performance was widely acclaimed. He certainly has hit similar heights again.

 

[social]

An old Warne whose performance was widely acclaimed. He certainly has hit similar heights again.

When?

BTW, Warne and McGath retired 18 months later - are you seriously trying to suggest that 2005 was their peak?

 

[zaremba]

When?

BTW, Warne and McGath retired 18 months later - are you seriously trying to suggest that 2005 was their peak?

Egbaston in 2006, for instance. Genuinely cbf going through all his other Test centuries debating with you whether he hit similar heights to those he reached at the Oval in 05.

I liked the 3 laughing smiley faces, 3 straw men might have been closer to the mark. I didn't ever suggest McGrath was at his peak, although he was still an outstanding bowler (most people would agree that his performance at Lord's was among the finest fast bowling performances of all time).

And if you think Warne was below-par in that series, I think, with respect, you're in a small, muttering minority

 

[PhoenixFire]

40 wickets in a series suggests that we did pretty well.

 

[social]

IMO, to be regarded as an all time great, you need to do more than have a good series against 2 greats at the end of their careers (especially when one was fit for precisely one match) AND be out-performed by a number of players from your own generation

Michael Clarke is a better player than KP yet remains one of the most maligned players going around

 

[Jarquis]

Can always rely on social to put a smile on my face.

 

[zaremba]

IMO, to be regarded as an all time great, you need to do more than have a good series against 2 greats at the end of their careers (especially when one was fit for precisely one match) AND be out-performed by a number of players from your own generation

Michael Clarke is a better player than KP yet remains one of the most maligned players going around

Yeah I'm not calling KP an all-time great (he has the potential but it's an outside shot at this stage), just identifying tosh when I see it

 

[Top_Cat]

IMO, to be regarded as an all time great, you need to do more than have a good series against 2 greats at the end of their careers (especially when one was fit for precisely one match) AND be out-performed by a number of players from your own generation

Yeah and not to mention he sorta dropped his bundle after Adelaide in the last home Ashes series.

Michael Clarke is a better player than KP yet remains one of the most maligned players going around

Don't agree with this and Clarke deserves everything he gets. Has a crooked smile, organised crime is but a matter of time.

I love KP but yeah shot selection is a bit daft at times. Plays some great knocks but then regresses for long periods afterwards too. Still has it in him to be an all-time great I reckon but the time is now.