Kevin Pietersen has been named in England’s ODI squad to face India in January but rested for the two Twenty20 clashes before Christmas.
Pietersen, in keeping with a rotation policy England are clearly keen to continue and develop, will miss two Twenty20 internationals against India next month – and off-spinner Graeme Swann is to take a rest in both series.
But a widely-anticipated return to England’s ODI and Twenty20 plans for Pietersen is nonetheless rubber-stamped by his inclusion for the series in January.
The 32-year-old infamously called time on his international limited-overs career six months ago, a move which kickstarted his summer of discontent and contract wrangles with the England and Wales Cricket Board.
He subsequently missed his adopted country’s failed defence of their ICC World Twenty20 crown and has to date played no 50 or 20-over international cricket since the tour of the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan last winter.
Pietersen’s absence from England’s immediate Twenty20 plans appears to be nothing more sinister than an example of the same strategy which means Swann has also been prescribed a rest.
National selector Geoff Miller said: “We are constantly looking to manage the workload of players as effectively as possible – and this winter is no different – so there are number of players who are being rested for parts of the winter programme.
“This will enable them to take part in fitness and conditioning programmes in preparation for a busy 2013.”
Pietersen had to undergo a period of ‘reintegration’ in order to secure his return to Test cricket, after a breakdown of relations with some senior players and management.
But the mercurial batsman is back in the fold, especially after his man-of-the-match 186 in England’s series-levelling Test victory over India in Mumbai two days ago.
Elsewhere in the 13-man Twenty20 squad and 15 for the ODIs, there is a place in the former for Surrey fast bowler Stuart Meaker – as yet uncapped in the shortest format – while James Tredwell is in both, as a like-for-like replacement for Swann.
England’s first-choice off-spinner has a chronic elbow injury in his bowling arm on which he admits he fears he may have to have surgery again at some point.
Swann, a regular in all formats, has already bowled many overs in England’s ongoing Test tour of India. Stuart Broad will continue to lead England’s Twenty20 squad, in which Meaker and Tredwell are the only players to graduate from outside those who fell short in September’s global tournament in Sri Lanka.
Joining Tredwell in Alastair Cook’s ODI squad are four others who were absent the last time England played a 50-over series in India, 13 months ago.
They are 21-year-old slow left-armer Danny Briggs, batsman Eoin Morgan and pace bowlers Broad and James Anderson.
Morgan and Broad were not involved last time, because they were recovering from shoulder injuries to help spread the workload Miller mentions, Anderson and Broad will share it in the ODI series.
Anderson will be available for the warm-up fixtures and first three matches only, and Broad for the remainder.
Ashley Giles, today named as England’s new limited-overs coach – replacing team director Andy Flower in that role, but also reporting to him – today spoke with enthusiasm about the partnerships he will forge with Broad and Cook.
“I take on this new role in the new year and I’m looking forward to working closely with Alastair Cook and Stuart Broadand take some of the strain off their shoulders,” he told Sky Sports News.
“I’ve got to get my feet under the table.
“Andy has done a fantastic job with all the captains he has worked with – and although of course I have to do things my own way, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
“I need to give these guys the same support they have had under Andy.”
England Twenty20 squad: Stuart Broad (c, Nottinghamshire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Jos Buttler (Somerset), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Luke Wright (Sussex).
England ODI squad: Alastair Cook (c, Essex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), James Tredwell (Kent), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), James Anderson (first three ODIs, Lancashire)/Stuart Broad (last two ODIs, Nottinghamshire).
Source : Orange
