Pietersen might never play another Test and for cricket lovers, that's a travesty

Casting aside all the petty bickering, verbal volleying and treachery imploding English cricket, what is beyond dispute is that Kevin Pietersen’s brilliant international career is likely over. For cricket lovers worldwide, that is a travesty.

New England director of cricket Andrew Strauss delivered a bombshell on Tuesday when he brutally announced that Pietersen, who has scored more than 8000 Test runs, was “not part of our plans for this summer”. He cited “trust issues” as the catalyst for Pietersen’s continued, and now terminal, banishment. That same day, Pietersen completed his highest first class score of 355 not out for Surrey in division two of the LV County Championship.

A public backlash has manifested in social media campaigns to oust Strauss. Simply, it has been a farcical situation for England on the eve of daunting series against New Zealand and Australia.

Overshadowed by the squabbling and the reverberating white noise is the reality of Strauss’ decision; Pietersen’s entertaining batting will never again be seen in the international arena. It’s a sad resignation for cricket fans, one that is set to gnaw for some time.

Pietersen is one of England’s greatest ever batsmen; his many notable achievements over the past decade absolutely vaults him into hallowed company with English legends including Grace, Hobbs, Hutton, Gooch and Alastair Cook. But Pietersen has had a nasty falling out with Cook which is a chief reason for his plight.

Despite his tumultuous exit, Pietersen’s legacy will forever endure because of his imposing Test record – 104 Tests, 47 average and 23 centuries. But Pietersen’s career resonates far beyond statistics, and merely stockpiling runs.

There are few batsmen who are absolutely compelling and essential viewing every time they bat. Pietersen is in the rarefied short-list. He’s ridiculously tall for a batsman – 6’4 (193cm) – making him a commanding presence at the crease. Pietersen can look straight at a snarling fast bowler; he doesn’t face the ignominy of looking up. He trades on his powerful physique, fueling his aura.

Intimidation has been a key component for his success. Pietersen has a swagger when he struts to the crease, but it is more than false bravado. He exudes self-confidence much like Viv Richards once famously projected. Like Richards, Pietersen possesses an innate hand-eye coordination that utilises his brutality. His methodology is intent on destroying bowlers through an array of unorthodox, bold and high voltage batting.

Certainly AB de Villiers, and perhaps Glenn Maxwell, have taken batting improvisation into an unbelievable realm, but when he arrived on the international scene in the mid-2000s, Pietersen was almost revolutionary in his audacity. In many ways, he was a trailblazer right when the T20 format was on the brink of redefining the game.

During his first Test innings, at Lord’s in 2005 with England struggling against Australia’s vaunted attack, Pietersen smashed Glenn McGrath’s accuracy into the crowd for a massive straight six. The strike was more reminiscent of a baseball slugger. It was breathtaking, and some believe his defiance was the fillip for England’s eventual success in recapturing the Ashes after 16 years of prolonged anguish.

Throughout his career, Pietersen often played daredevil with the bat – whether it was switch-hitting Muttiah Muralitharan for six or brazenly hooking Brett Lee. It was remarkable how often he succeeded, which ultimately is a testament to both his physical and mental fortitude.

When he entered international career, at the mature age of 25, some critics believed Pietersen’s penchant for overt aggressiveness would make him susceptible against the world’s best bowlers. But he never fell into the trap of just mindless slogging; he smartly grasped the importance of batting in tempos and when to seize the opportune moments to counterattack.

Some traditionalists didn’t particularly care for his game, believing it was too reckless despite his continued success. Some bemoaned Pietersen’s flamboyancy, particularly his pronounced movement and exaggerated back lift when shouldering arms. Really, the criticisms reeked of nit-picking.

Whether he could actually still be a star in international career is debatable. Next month, Pietersen will turn 35, an age traditionally when batsmen start noticeably regressing. His form has wavered during his various T20 stints since he last played for England in early 2014, but Pietersen believed being away from the grind of international career has restored his battered body.

On the evidence of his latest innings, perhaps Pietersen still has several high level years left. Maybe he could keep producing at elite levels like, say, Kumar Sangakkara. But, unfortunately, we’ll never know.

Pietersen’s absence has taken some sheen off the upcoming contests. It would have been thrilling to see him shrug off the ravages of age, and time away from the Test cauldron, battling the ilk of Boult, Southee, Johnson and Starc.

His battles with long-time nemesis Mitch Johnson have been particularly memorable over the years, with the Australian firebrand overwhelmingly winning the tussle during the last series. No doubt, Pietersen was awaiting a re-match on his home terrain. Alas, we will never see them battling in the Test arena again.

England has lost their maverick, the batsman who juxtaposed nicely with the elegance of Bell and Root, and the assuredness of Cook (when in-form). Their batting noticeably lacks firepower without Pietersen.

Of course, he won’t disappear into the wilderness. He’ll continue to be a specialist T20 player plying his trade worldwide and dazzling with his inimitable style.

It’ll just always feel slightly hollow knowing Kevin Pietersen – one of this generation’s greatest batsmen and entertainers –had his international career curtailed by highly dubious motives.