Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has advocated the recall of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the England bating lineup ahead of the eagerly anticipated Ashes series Down Under in the latter half of the year.
Clarke took to social media to voice his opinion after England beat South Africa by 177 runs in Manchester to claim the four-match Test series 3-1.
“England look to be playing some really good cricket. Still believe they have some questions about their top three batting,” Clarke wrote on his Twitter account.
“Is Ian Bell available for the Ashes? Perfect No.3 for that team.”
“He would find whatever was required if he was picked for the Ashes,” Clarke wrote about Pietersen. “One player does not make a team but I do believe he is a big loss.”
With just over three months to go for the Ashes, we look at the pros and cons of recalling England’s former batting stalwarts.
Pros
England’s batting order remains unsettled
Despite what looks like a comprehensive 3-1 win on paper over the Proteas, the English batting lineup still has multiple holes after a series in which both sets of batsmen failed to completely assert themselves.
Questions still remain over the roles of Keaton Jennings, Tom Westley and Dawid Malan in the England setup.
The Cambridge born Westley scored a fine half-century at the Oval Test but has failed to convert his three other starts in the number three role. Bell could slip into his old familiar role as England’s number three.
Likewise, Pietersen remains a perfect foil for the number five spot in the lineup with Malan’s struggles in the role evident with his combined total of 35 runs in four innings till now.
Malan had a nightmare introduction to Test cricket.
Experienced hands
Both Pietersen and Bell have over a 100 Tests to their credit and as such their vital experience, especially in Australia could have an important bearing on the performance of the English batting.
Both batsmen have scored four centuries each against the Aussies. Pietersen’s highest Test score of 227 was achieved in Adelaide in the Ashes 2010-11 series while he also scored a magnificent 158 in the same venue in 2006.
Bell had a fabulous series in 2013 when the Aussies visited England where he scored three tons and two half-centuries.
Bell and Pietersen have plenty of experience down under.
Cons
Gone too long
Pietersen’s last Test in the whites of England was over three years ago in January, 2014 while Bell’s last Test was over two years ago in October, 2015.
With such a long absence from the English Test setup, it would be difficult for the two to slot right back into the fold.
Bell, captaining Warwickshire in the County Championship, has managed just 345 runs at an average of 24.64 this season and would need to do a lot better to stake a reclaim to his England spot.
Pietersen meanwhile has become a Twenty20 specialist globetrotting around the world in the various leagues of the shorter format. With no first-class cricket under his belt lately, his inclusion in the Test lineup would be somewhat of a stretch.
Time younger players to step up
With Pietersen remaining a divisive figure in the English dressing room, it would be counter-productive to recall the maverick batsman into the fold.
At 37 years of age, the right-handed batsman’s selection would be stop-gap arrangement for the Joe Root led England as they look to build for the future.
Alex Hales will be desperate to get back into the English Test fold.
Similarly Bell, who is now 35 would only be a temporary fix for the English as they look to get a settled batting lineup.
With younger players like Alex Hales still waiting in the wings it would be one-step forward, two-steps back for Root and the English selectors.