12 Controversial cricketers - The headline hoggers

9. Kevin Pietersen:

The flamboyant cricketer had a glitzy career, but it was not without its pitfalls. In 2008, it was his invention of the switch hit, a modification of the conventional reverse sweep which faced resistance before getting the approval of the international body. In 2009, his demand of the removal of Peter Moores got him a lot of flak, which made his position untenable as the captain. Then in 2011 he absented himself from the World Cup due to a hernia problem which again was the talk of the town. But the major imbroglio of his career was the issue surrounding reports that he had sent hate text messages to the South African team against Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower. Pietersen has always been a maverick with the bat and he sure had some rash moments from which he did “switch-hit’ very well and will always remain the ‘Kelpes’ who destroyed the opposition with his masterful strokes.