Pietersen will be next England captain unless politics get in the way. The reasons are:
1. He is England's best batsmen in both forms of the game.

2. He has experience international cricket for over two years and he has been nothing but an outstanding success.

3. He has got a toughness about him and has come through adversity.

4.He is good at handling the media.

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"Checkout the big brain on Brett" Pulp Fiction

Um... NO!

The principle requirements of a captain are (first) willingness to put the work in behind the scenes to create a unit prepared for adversity in the field and (second) ability to think creatively when even the best laid plans and the extensive preparation don't seem to be delivering results.

Does Pietersen really tick all the right boxes? Mr cerebral, happy putting in the lonely hours away from the limelight? Mr man-manager, happy working on getting the best from characters as diverse as Trescothick and Harmison? Mr cool head, thinking clearly and objectively in all situations?

Or is he a tad more of an impestuous jack the lad than that? Is he more of an senior player who is better left to lead by example with the bat and hog the limelight whilst one of Vaughan, Strauss, Collingwood, Bell or Cook do the captancy bit from the shadows?

Nothing against Pietersen: I've a lot of time for him - bit captaincy material? No!

Yes but he would be another Gatting/Flintoff - I would say he has little chance of ever captaining England, Vaughan will captain England until he is 40+ in any case - then it will go to Strauss.

I doubt it has occured the the ECB to appoint Pietersen as England captain.

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Ern

This is not soley the captain's responsibility it is managements. I think you under estimate Pietersen cricketing brain. And when you reach international level you shouldn't have to be treated with kid gloves all the time. This is not alcohilics anonymous or some kind of love in where you need a sensitive personality.
Of course you don't go round offending people either!

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"Checkout the big brain on Brett" Pulp Fiction

One would hope that Vaughan stays fit and capable for at least 3 more years and by then the outstanding candidate will probably be Alastair Cook.For some reason i just don't see Pietersen as captain material.

Vaugahn seems to recon the guy has a strong cricketing brain as he will often turn to pieterson in the field, I belive that pieterson would be in the mould of Gooch, with the prepare prepare prepare mentality After they crossed the line in that first test in OZ they were not only physically under prepared but also mentaly, and by the end of the series they were not better off, pieterson would be able to pass on the spirt that lies within him around the dressing room, he also would be able to dish out a good telling off (such as to steve harmison in that first test in oz, something freddy couldnt find within himself to do.) This would lift preformances to international standard.
Strauss = no leadership qualitys
Cook= still to young by the time vaughn is finished ( in 3 years time he still would only be 25 years old)
Collingwood = too old
Flintoff = Question weather he will be playing in two years time and if he is he is technicly poor and heavy work load
PIETERSEN = NEXT ENGLAND CAPTAIN

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Finally England have risen from the ashes.

For all the reasons Rachael gives above, I can't see it (and don't want to). Pietersen is very much one of the troops - and essential in that role. In time he could become senior NCO material, but he's not likely ever to be an officer IMO.

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan

Pietersen as captain would lead England into a period of disunity and team discord. I have said it before, and i will say it again, Pietersen is bad for England and he undermines the most crucial factor that decides success or failure - team unity.

As a past student of military history, i could fill a book with instances of elite mercenary units undermining/unraveling the morale and performance of generic armies. But i would struggle to find many instances of elite mercenary units actually improving the performance of the whole.

It is no co-incidence that England, who played so brilliantly as a team up until the 2005 Ashes began to unravel upon the arrival of Kevin Pietersen. Even in the recent tour of Australia, England played terrible cricket until Pietersen was injured and went home (to England i mean - not South Africa) Once he left, England became a "team" again and started kicking ass. Then Pietersen came back for the WC, and they went back to playing poor cricket again.

For England, Pietersen is a curse - a Jonah. Until such a time when he chooses to jump ship and play elsewhere, England will continue to play poorly as a team. And unlike say, Flintoff, who's performance inspires his teammates, the better Pietersen plays, the worse the rest will play.

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Maybe you're thinking of another Pietersen, Seamer. The one I have in mind is at home in England. And "bad for England"? Can't see any evidence of that at all. Still not a captain though.

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan

Well, Pietersen's bona fides as an Englishman as an Englishman are open to debate (has been to some depth already) If i moved to England for four years, i would still be an Aussie through and through that's for sure.

As to evidence, graphs of England's performance with Pietersen playing for England vs Pietersen not playing for England since 2004 would be very telling. If i get the time, i might whip one together.

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