Just hours after England had retained the Ashes courtesy of a rain-affected draw in the third Test at Old Trafford yesterday, the selectors unveiled their squad for the fourth match of the series, which starts at north-east county Durham's headquarters on Friday.
Fast bowler Chris Tremlett was also selected, with all 11 players who took the field at Old Trafford included as England look for a series victory after winning the first Test at Trent Bridge by 14 and the second, at Lord's, by a colossal 347 runs.
But star batsman Pietersen, who had been struggling with a calf problem, made 113 in England's first innings 368 at Old Trafford.
"While the players should be congratulated on retaining the Ashes there is still a lot of cricket left in this series and it is important that the players recover and refocus ahead of another crucial week of Test cricket," said England national selector Geoff Miller.
"The inclusion of Graham Onions and Chris Tremlett gives (coach) Andy Flower and (captain) Alastair Cook an opportunity to assess both the fitness of the bowling attack following the third Test as well as the conditions at Durham," the former England off-spinner added.
Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wkt), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Graham Onions, Chris Tremlett.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
