Captaincy could make or break KP

Selectors Geoff Miller, Peter Moores, James Whitaker and Ashley Giles thought long and hard six weeks ago before putting Pietersen and not Andrew Strauss in temporary charge of their one-day side when Paul Collingwood was suspended.

But Michael Vaughan's shock resignation in the wake of a shattering Test series defeat by South Africa, together with Collingwood's decision to quit the limited-overs job, yesterday gave England the chance to do what they have always thought works best and put one man in control of five-day, 50-over and Twenty20 teams.

Strauss, Rob Key and Alastair Cook were all candidates. Pietersen's name, though, was never out of anyone's thoughts for long because he could be the best leader of the lot - or an absolute shocker, both for himself and any side chosen to follow in his footsteps.

Pietersen's selection for England, at the first opportunity after he completed his four-year qualification period, divided cricket fans back in the autumn of 2004. And so did his elevation to the Test team for the 2005 Ashes series, a promotion which ended the international career of Graham Thorpe.

Some disliked the idea of a man born in South Africa switching countries.

Others doubted whether Pietersen's flamboyant batting could ever succeed at international level - doubts which evaporated when England's new batsman scored three one-day centuries in quick succession against the country of his birth and then sealed the Ashes for Vaughan's team with that astonishing innings of 158 at The Oval.

But the now 28-year-old has never lost the knack of splitting opinion, as he confirmed at Edgbaston only last Friday. Did you salute his innings of 94 for reviving England's hopes of winning the Third npower Test? Or slaughter him for trying to complete his hundred with a six and being caught in the deep?

Pietersen's fiercest critics claim he is neither a team player nor someone capable of putting discretion before a headline grabbing act. No wonder the South Africans delight in calling him 'Mr Ego'. But few people could argue that any side would be better off without him.

As someone who has watched every one of Pietersen's Test innings, and most of his one-day knocks, the biggest worry for this correspondent about making KP captain of an England team is that he will change too much, rather than not enough, as a batsman.

If leadership makes Pietersen a little less headstrong when the team desperately needs his continued presence in the middle, then fine. But if it takes away the bravery that was required to hit Shane Warne back over his head, or leaves him too fearful of failure to ever again attempt a left-handed slog-sweep, then England will have lost a lot more than they could possibly gain.

A lot of people, on and off the field, will need to play their part. But Pietersen is now the main man and, although there are obvious dangers to his appointment, he does have the strength of character, the sharpness of brain and, above all, the ability of a world-class player to make it work.

Of course it could all end in tears, just like Vaughan's reign did yesterday - and a lot sooner if things go badly wrong. But Pietersen has been good for England so far and is worth backing again today.

Captains come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. Michael Vaughan and, before him, Mike Atherton looked as though they were born for the role. But England's best - if not most successful - skipper over the last 20-odd years was Nasser Hussain, and there were a lot of doubters when the job went to him in 1999.

Where Hussain struck lucky was in having Duncan Fletcher as coach. More than a year after Fletcher's departure, the 'new' England coach Peter Moores remains more a man of mystery to most observers than his predecessor.

The chairman of selectors, David Graveney, was replaced earlier this year. Now two captains have gone in a single day. If performances do not improve over the next few months then one assumes Moores will be next to put his neck on the chopping block.

As of today, though, Moores must forge a good working relationship with Pietersen and show the world he was the right choice to succeed Fletcher.