Former England captain Michael Vaughan reveals his thoughts on former England player Kevin Pietersen. He expressed that Kevin Pietersen shouldn’t have been recalled into the national team again. Vaughan spoke such harsh words because of the 2012 text-gate scandal. Speaking of the same, Kevin Pietersen was found guilty of sending messages against then-skipper Andrew Strauss to their opponents South Africa during the Test match days.
Pietersen was accused of sending text messages to South African players, giving them tips about how to bowl against Strauss. However, the full content of those messages sent during the second Test in Leeds in August 2012 remains unknown.
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“I’ve never seen 100 percent clarification that that was the case, but if he did, I personally said at the time and have said it since, he shouldn’t have ever played for England again,” Vaughan said.
“If an England player, doesn’t matter who it is, found to be texting the opposing international team how to get one of your own players out I don’t think he should have played for England again,” he added.
Pietersen was dropped from the England squad for the SA games. He later returned to the national team during the India tour in 2012. Kevin Pietersen played 16 more Tests for England before retiring in 2014.
“It had a huge effect on English cricket for a while and I still think it has a massive effect on a few individuals. I still think there are a few who have come out of this worse,” Vaughan said.
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Michael Vaughan also spoke how Pietersen’s IPL deal made his national teammates jealous of the batsman. Pietersen signed a multi-million dollar deal to feature in the IPL 2009. He was amongst the first few English players to feature in the tournament.
“I think there was a lot of jealousy. And the players will completely deny it now but I think there was at the time when Kevin was on a massive contract.”
