Buzzin Cricket

Kevin Pietersen is England’s new captain as Ravi Bopara joins test squad.

In a move that could potentially split a lot of cricket fans in England, Kevin Pietersen has been named the new test and one-day captain of England. The Hampshire batsman succeeds Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood, who quit from their respective captain posts yesterday.

Kevin Pietersen’s first task is to captain England in the final test match against South Africa which starts on Thursday at The Oval. The series is already lost, but England will be looking to salvage some pride by winning the final test match ahead of the one-day games.

Speaking about being appointed captain, Kevin Pietersen said that he was ‘thrilled’ to be given the opportunity and that it will be a ‘huge honour’ to lead his country out as skipper. The 28-year-old also said that he has learned a lot from close friend Michael Vaughan about the job. Speaking of Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen said that he looks forward to him returning to the test team as a batsman very soon.

Like I have mentioned, if I was to bet on England cricket fans’ opinion on this decision, I would imagine it would be varied. Some people will believe that as England’s best batsman, he should be left to concentrate on scoring runs. Doubters also point to Kevin Pietersen’s large ego that could jeopardise his decisions as captain.

On the other hand though, there are those who believe Kevin Pietersen will revel in the role. They believe his positive approach to captaincy will be exactly what English cricket needs. In terms of England cricket betting the teams chances of winning the Ashes are increased according to these people.

Which camp am I in? Well, I have to say I am pleased about the appointment. Not only do I think his batting will benefit from the extra responsibility, but I think his personality will help make England cricketers more confident and more likely to succeed. He is a very positive individual and this should rub off on the other players.

Kevin Pietersen was the only choice anyway. Other candidates Alistair Cook and Andrew Strauss are uncertain over their place in the one-day side and to bring Robert Key in out of the blue would have been simply ridiculous. How could the captaincy be given to someone who has proved in the past that he isn’t good enough for test cricket?

So, the new England captain is Kevin Pietersen. On Thursday, he will be leading his team out against South Africa as England look to win the final test match of the summer. In terms of the squad for this match, Michael Vaughan – who announced he would be taking a break from cricket – will be replaced by Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara. I will be talking more about this squad later in the week, but until then – good luck Kevin Pietersen. I am behind you every step of the way.