Let's talk about Kevin

The dust has settled, conversations have taken place, compromises have been met, and the outcome is one that all England cricket fans should be happy with...Kevin Pietersen is, as I type, on his way to Mumbai.

Whatever your opinion on Kevin Pietersen, it's undeniable that above all, he is the most naturally gifted cricketer in the England side, possibly in the world. On ability he would comfortably walk into any team in the world in any format, and there is only a handful of current players you could say that about.

The news of KP's inclusion would have been music to one persons ears in particular. New captain Alastair Cook will be keen to make a winning impression stepping into the shoes of one of the most successful and popular England test captains of all time, and his task has been made much easier with Kevin Pietersen available for selection.

So how does Kevin help to balance England's team in India?

His experience is invaluable. Batting in India isn't for the faint hearted, the fans are passionate and create a cauldron in favour of the home team, one sign of vulnerability and you'll do well to reach double-figures. KP isn't exactly a stranger to batting in Indian conditions, but I won't go into that as I'm keen to keep this an IPL-free zone!

Batting at four, he is link between the top and middle orders, and that middle order is likely to be inexperienced consisting of names such as Morgan, Bairstow and Compton. Who better for those aspiring test cricketers to partner than one of the best players in the world?

Then there's his hidden weapon that is a captains go-to option; his off-spin. In India, this is likely to be extremely helpful for Cook when the seamers need a break from bowling with an orange in the extreme heat on a flat deck, a double-spinning option of Swann and Pietersen is a luxury for the new skipper. Without KP, a specialist spinner such as Panesar or Briggs would have to be considered, or alternatively an all-rounder like Patel, but a batsman won't need to be make way with KP in the fold.

One man gives this side a much more balanced look. Not forgetting the presence and 'fear-factor' that he brings. Kevin Pietersen is a match-winner, and every opposition knows it.

Like him or love him, it's great for cricket that Kevin Pietersen is playing in this series, because he is certainly box office and England are a stronger team with him at 4. He's a great advert for test cricket and I'm sure that the cricket-mad Indian fans are looking forward to watching him as much as the England ones. Let the series and the 4am starts begin!

End of the T20 road...

On Sunday evening, the sporting world witnessed one of the great comebacks it has ever seen. The grit and determination shown by the European golfers in Chicago was enough to stir the emotions of even the disinterested sport fans among us.

Approximately 9,000 miles away, in the remote setting of Pallekele in the Hill Country of Kandy, Sri Lanka, the England T20 team watched on, inspired, I'm sure, by the feat of these fellow sportsman. Yorkshire youngster Jonny Bairstow tweeted: "Great win for the Ryder Cup lads! Hopefully we will carry it on this evening". England beating the hosts to progress to the semi-finals was nothing in comparison to the heroics produced by Poulter and co.,but it made one believe. Unfortunately, all this fuelled us with was unfounded optimism.

If England fans let their head rule their heart, they would come to the conclusion that not only Sri Lanka are a more superior team, but also that it would have been almost embarrassing if England had somehow made it into the last four. As expected, the unerring precision of Mahela Jayawardene with the bat and Lasith Malinga with the ball was more than enough to facilitate England's undoing, whose naivety left them wanting not for the first time in this competition.

It still boggles me why England change their team so much for the T20 format. Why do they go for youth and inexperience? Surely, like any other format, you need a mixture of both experience and youth? Let's look at some of the other nations batsmen at the T20 World Cup, starting with South Africa. They include Kallis, Amla, De Villers, Duminy. India; Gambhir, Sehwag, Dhoni, Kohli. New Zealand; Guptill, McCullum, Taylor. Australia; Watson, Warner, Hussey. West Indies; Gayle, Samuels, Bravo.

Then you look at England; Kieswetter, Hales, Wright, Bairstow, Buttler. These names don't match up to any of the above. I'm not suggesting to pick Cook and Trott, there needs to be some aggression in the short format. But I can't help but think that Ian Bell and Matt Prior have been sat at home for the last fortnight, watching their country produce mediocre performance after mediocre performance, thinking "why on earth aren't I playing?" Matt Prior has Test and ODI strike-rates of 64.82 and 76.76 respectively, and Ian Bell returning 51.26 and 74.54 to boot, which clearly suggests they 'get on with it'.

So why are they left out of the short format? Any cricket watcher knows that the way both of these men bat would be extremely effective in T20 cricket, not to mention the added experience and balance it would bring to the England side.

Of course, there is the small matter of the best T20 batsman in the world being omitted for understandable reasons, but when he's back in the mix, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later, England all of a sudden look like a threat. A top six consisting of Bell, Pietersen and Prior is surely a must for England, in any format.

I'm a firm believer that good players are good players, in any form of the game. They will adapt to suit. Based on the batting line-ups of the rest of the nations in the tournament, they believe this, too. 

For what it's worth, my ideal T20 XI for England would be: Bell, Pietersen, Wright, Morgan, Prior, Bairstow, Patel, Broad, Swann, Finn, Dernbach.

Flower's selection decisions will have to wait though, because England are out and have a small matter of a Test Series in India to prepare for. A mouth-watering clash. Will Kevin Pietersen be on that plane?

Decisions, decisions

I feel as if I need to get this one out of the way; everyone is talking about it, and lots of different people have lots of different opinions, so here's mine...

England's greatest captain (in my humble opinion) shocked us all at the end of last month by stepping down from all forms of cricket for his country. He did it in exactly the same fashion in which he conducted his whole career; professionally, maturely and with dignity.

But this post isn't about Strauss' career or his decision to retire, but about the void he leaves and how England fill it.

The most important question is: who opens the batting in India with the new England Test captain, Alastair Cook? Do you promote Jonathan Trott from three, Ian Bell from 5, trust the weight of county runs in Nick Compton or throw in the fearless youth of Joe Root?

Let's start from the top. If you promote Trott, then who is dependable enough to stride out into the fray during the evening session, one down, against a world-class attack and a swinging ball, and be as unflappable as Trott? Currently, in my opinion, nobody. So we move onto Bell. Technically one of the best batsmen in the world and could undoubtedly bat anywhere in the top six. But his experience in the middle-order is invaluable. He adds a vitally important steady-hand to combat the exuberance of the likes of Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, James Taylor and Ravi Bopara. A middle order without him looks very fragile indeed. 20-2 could quickly become 50-5.

That leaves the two new boys, Root and Compton. The former is the only genuine opener of the two and certainly one for the future. But Nick Compton, at the age of 29, has earned his call-up and form would suggest you need look no further. But, perhaps there is a way you can find a spot for both of them in the line up?

An argument I've heard against selecting Root, is that it is a harsh baptism of fire against a strong Indian bowling-attack at home. A stadium fortress atmosphere Root certainly would not have combated before. But my argument is this: the last England opener to début in India was also aged 21, and he hasn't done too badly, has he?

England In A Spin...

Both teams had qualified for the 'Super 8' stage of the 2012 World T20 before they took to the field under the Colombo lights, but neither England or India were treating this one like a "dead-rubber".

The stage was set for these two heavyweights of the game to ignite the competition; unleashing fireworks and drama that the shortest form of the game offers in abundance. But one team didn't read the script.

England turned up to the Sri Lankan capital on Sunday night, but only in body, not spirit. The defending champions were made to look like a minnow by the heavily supported India, who crushed them with authority, ruthlessness and, above all, class.

So why did England fail so badly? There's only one answer...they cannot play spin.

Five of the top seven fell to spin. This stat would be frightening at the best of times, but a few added facts made this an extremely worrying one. Firstly, the pitch offered little for spinners, which was backed-up by England's decision to play seamer Bresnan instead of Samit Patel. Secondly, the spinning wicket-taking culprits for India were Chawla and Singh. Without wanting to offend anyone, these two shouldn't be capable of rattling through an England batting order like they did. There is no mystery there, no Warne-esque skill or Ajmal-like variety; for international batsmen, this should have been straight-forward.

This isn't the first time England's lack of ability to play spin has been highlighted in recent times. Both Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal in the tour to the UAE in January and Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath in the April tour can vouch for that.

Unless there is improvement for England, Flower and Co. must see this as a huge problem, especially with a Test tour to India looming; and you can guarantee that they will prepare spinner-friendly pitches in their own back yard. Even Eoin Morgan, who has been hailed as one of the best players of spin in the England squad, looked all at sea against India's placid tweak-duo.

Colombo expected fireworks, but the only ones provided were the crackers that went off when each England victim fell.

Let's not get too down-beat though, England didn't get to where they are without learning from their mistakes and improving weaknesses. They look to bounce-back against the West Indies in Pallekele on Thursday - but look out for wily 'offie' Sunil Narine, who was awarded IPL Player of the Tournament in his début season for Kolkata Knight Riders - there's certainly some mystery there...