Steve Waugh slams 'now not great' KP's attempt to earn England recall

Former Australia cricket team captain Steve Waugh has slammed sacked England batsman Kevin Pietersen's attempt to return to the international front and told the English selectors to leave him as he is, because he believes that the South African-born is not a great player now.

Pietersen is playing for county cricket club Surrey in order to earn a recall to the England national squad after new England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves had said that the former batsman could earn a recall to the national side if he performed well in English county.

Waugh took aim over a lack of respect, a pattern of undermining the captain, and the loss of form which no longer makes Pietersen a great player as the reasons for keeping him out. He is unimpressed by the 'circus' surrounding Pietersen, but has made the simple argument that the batsman is now not good enough to earn a recall, The Mirror reported.

Waugh said that he doesn't think that Pietersen is a great player right now, adding that setting aside all the other things he doesn't think the batsman's form warranted a spot in the England side. He said that Pietersen might have been a great player but he wouldn't class him as one now.

The Australian great said that first, Pietersen has to be one of the best six batsmen in the country, which he's not. He then questioned if Pietersen is right for the current set-up, or if he fits in how the team is moving forward, or if he can work with the captain and other players.

Waugh said that there have obviously been some issues and insisted that that's part of the reason why Pietersen's not there now. He said that unless Pietersen is a changed as a person and a personality and that's hard to do he doesn't know how one goes back to what happened before.

Waugh also said that Pietersen has got a bit of history of undermining the captains, adding that it's all chaotic and bit of a circus, insisting that it must be confusing for English fans, media and sponsors.