Kevin Peter Pietersen
batsman
| Full name: | Kevin Peter Pietersen |
| Nationality: | England |
Teams
Career Averages
Bowling
| League | Test | Odi | T20i | First class | List a | T20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 104 | 136 | 37 | 217 | 253 | 200 |
| Innings | 58 | 23 | 3 | 154 | 82 | 30 |
| Overs | 218.3 | 66.4 | 5.0 | 1073.5 | 398.2 | 66.0 |
| Balls | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Maidens | 15 | 0 | 0 | 184 | 3 | 0 |
| Runs | 886 | 370 | 53 | 3760 | 2122 | 534 |
| Wickets | 10 | 7 | 1 | 73 | 41 | 17 |
| Avg | 88.6 | 52.85 | 53 | 51.5 | 51.75 | 31.41 |
| SR | 131.1 | 57.14 | 30 | 88.26 | 58.29 | 23.29 |
| Eco | 4.05 | 5.55 | 10.6 | 3.5 | 5.32 | 8.09 |
| BB | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 4w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 5w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Batting
| League | Test | Odi | T20i | First class | List a | T20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 104 | 136 | 37 | 217 | 253 | 200 |
| Innings | 181 | 125 | 36 | 358 | 233 | 193 |
| Not outs | 8 | 16 | 5 | 26 | 34 | 25 |
| Runs | 8181 | 4440 | 1176 | 16522 | 8112 | 5695 |
| Balls Faced | 13255 | 5128 | 831 | 23921 | 8801 | 4160 |
| Avg | 47.28 | 40.73 | 37.93 | 49.76 | 40.76 | 33.89 |
| SR | 61.72 | 86.58 | 141.51 | 69.06 | 92.17 | 136.89 |
| Fours | 985 | 427 | 119 | 2049 | 779 | 495 |
| Fifties | 35 | 25 | 7 | 71 | 46 | 35 |
| Sixies | 81 | 77 | 32 | 240 | 161 | 220 |
| Highest | 227 | 130 | 79 | 355 | 147 | 115 |
| Hundreds | 23 | 9 | 0 | 50 | 15 | 3 |
International career
Kevin Pietersen was born in South Africa but moved to England after disagreements with the country’s quota system. He completed the required four years in county cricket and received his England call-up in 2004.
2004
- Debuted for England in an ODI series against Zimbabwe.
- Scored 104 runs in three innings and kept his spot in the squad.
2005
- Selected for the Ashes series.
- Became England’s top run-scorer, helping the team win the Ashes for the first time in 18 years.
2007
- Secured a permanent place in all formats.
- Gained recognition for aggressive batting, including the ‘Flamingo’ shot and switch-hit.
2008
- Took over as England captain after Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood stepped down.
- Led England to a 2-1 ODI series win in South Africa.
- Stepped down as captain after conflicts with coach Peter Moores.
2009
- Missed the latter half of the Ashes due to an Achilles injury.
- Returned for the ICC World T20 and played a key role in England’s first ICC trophy win in 2010.
2010-11
- Contributed to England’s Ashes victory in Australia.
- Scored his first double century and helped England win the series 3-1.
2011
- Withdrew from the ICC Cricket World Cup due to a hernia injury.
2012
- Dropped from the third Test against South Africa due to off-field controversies.
- Announced retirement from ODIs but later reversed the decision.
- Scored a crucial century in Mumbai, leading England to a Test series win in India.
2013
- Missed the Indian T20 League due to a knee injury.
- Scored a century in the Ashes at Manchester.
- Played his 100th Test but struggled in the return Ashes as England lost 5-0.
2014
- Left out of England’s squad after the Ashes defeat.
- ECB’s decision ended his international career.
- Signed with Delhi for the Indian T20 League and became captain.
Pietersen’s career combined brilliance and controversy. His aggressive style changed England’s batting approach, and his contributions remain significant in the team’s history.
Leagues Participation
Kevin Pietersen played in different T20 leagues around the world. He competed in the Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, and Caribbean Premier League. His performances stood out, and he played key roles for different teams. He also joined Legends League Cricket and took part in the Bicentenary Celebration match.
Indian Premier League
Pietersen first played in the IPL for Delhi Daredevils in 2012, scoring 305 runs at a strike rate of 147. His performance included an unbeaten 103. In 2014, Delhi Daredevils bought him for $1.5 million, and he captained the team that season. In 2015, Sunrisers Hyderabad signed him for 2 Crore Rupees but released him before the tournament. A possible return later in the season was canceled due to injury.
|
Year |
Team |
Notes |
|
2012 |
Delhi Daredevils |
Scored 305 runs, including 103 |
|
2014 |
Delhi Daredevils |
Bought for $1.5 million, became captain |
|
2015 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad |
Signed but released before season |
Caribbean Premier League
Pietersen played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for St Lucia Zouks in 2014. His presence added strength to the team, and he took part in the tournament. His time in the league was short, but he remained a well-known player in global T20 competitions.
|
Year |
Team |
Notes |
|
2014 |
St Lucia Zouks |
Competed in the CPL for one season |
Big Bash League
Pietersen joined Melbourne Stars for the 2014–15 Big Bash League season on a two-year deal. He played as a top-order batsman and scored 66 runs off 46 balls in his first match. In 2016, he played an important role in helping the team reach its first Grand Final after a victory over Perth Scorchers. His contract was later extended until the 2017–18 season.
|
Year |
Team |
Notes |
|
2014–15 |
Melbourne Stars |
Signed a two-year deal, scored 66 on debut |
|
2016 |
Melbourne Stars |
Helped team reach first Grand Final |
|
2017–18 |
Melbourne Stars |
Contract extended for two more years |
Legends League Cricket
Pietersen joined Legends League Cricket and played for India Capitals. His involvement in the tournament showed his continued passion for the game.
|
Year |
Team |
Notes |
|
2022 |
India Capitals |
Took part in Legends League Cricket |
Bicentenary Celebration Match
In 2014, Pietersen played for the Rest of the World XI in the Bicentenary Celebration match at Lord’s. He retired from professional cricket in 2018 but made a brief return in 2020 for the Ultimate Cricket Challenge.
|
Year |
Team |
Notes |
|
2014 |
Rest of the World |
Played in Bicentenary match at Lord’s |
|
2020 |
Ultimate Cricket Challenge |
Returned for a short tournament |
Domestic career
Kevin Pietersen began his cricket career in South Africa with KwaZulu Natal, impressing the England team in 1999 with both bat and ball. Despite his strong performance, he believed he was dropped due to the country's racial quota system. In 2000, he moved to England and signed with Nottinghamshire, where he made an immediate impact, scoring over 1,200 runs in his first season. His form continued in 2003, earning him a spot on the ECB National Academy tour of India, where he excelled. After Nottinghamshire's relegation in 2003, Pietersen requested a release and had a public falling out with the team captain. He joined Hampshire in 2004, but his national commitments limited his appearances. Pietersen moved to Surrey in 2010, scoring a century in his first match for the club. He returned to Surrey for the NatWest T20 Blast in 2017 but announced his retirement from English cricket later that year after a season marred by injuries.
Records and achievements
Kevin Pietersen's career includes many significant achievements and records. He won multiple awards for his performances, such as the ICC ODI Player of the Year and Emerging Player of the Year in 2005. That year, he was also named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year for his contribution to England’s victory in the 2005 Ashes series. Pietersen and his teammates received the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours for their services to cricket. He also played for the ICC World XI in the 2005 ICC Super Series against Australia.
Records:
- Second-highest run total from his first 25 Tests, behind Sir Don Bradman.
- Fourth Englishman to score the highest in both innings of his debut Test.
- One of only 25 players with a peak ICC batting rating over 900.
- Fastest player to score 5,000 Test runs, completing it in 4 years and 243 days.
- 23 Test centuries and 9 ODI centuries, making a total of 32 centuries in his international career.
Personal life
Kevin Pietersen was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to an English mother and an Afrikaner father. He grew up with three brothers and had a disciplined childhood, which helped shape his views on life. Pietersen couldn’t play rugby due to an injury but played hockey, tennis, and squash. These sports helped him strengthen his right arm for cricket.
Family
Pietersen is married to Jessica Taylor, a former Liberty X singer. They married on December 29, 2007, at St Andrew’s Church in Castle Combe. The couple has two children: a son born in 2010 and a daughter born in 2015. Pietersen was present for both births, even traveling from Barbados during an England tour to be there for his son's birth.
Finance
Pietersen’s net worth is around $7.5 million in 2024.
Cars and House
Pietersen owns a Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Range Rover. He lives in a luxury mansion in the Wentworth estate in Surrey. The house has a barbecue area, swimming pool, modern kitchen, cinema room, and spacious gardens.
Scandals
Pietersen faced some scandals during his career. In 2012, his private messages with South African cricketers AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn were leaked, leading to his exclusion from the final Test match against South Africa. In 2021, his relationship with model Vanessa Nimmo became public. After their breakup, Nimmo shared intimate details of their relationship. In 2024, Pietersen criticized conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton on social media, calling them "absurd."
Fans
Pietersen has 2 million followers on Instagram. He often shares his views on social media, including his criticism of the conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton.
