It has now been confirmed that Kevin Pietersen, who retired as captain of England on Wednesday, had out Australian great Shane Warne about taking up an assignment as coach of his team in place of incumbent Peter Moores, with whom he had serious differences.
The move was ironic given the traditional rivalry between the Ashes contenders, and the fact that Pietersen himself is of South African origin.
Players of Indian sub-continental stock but born and raised in England are increasingly representing that country, the most notable being Nasser Hussain, who captained England not too long ago.
According to sources here, Pietersen's plan was to have his good friend and former Hampshire country captain Warne as coach alongside Darren Berry and former England all-rounder Jeremy Snape, as assistants, to constitute the same coaching trio that guided Rajasthan Royals to their win in the inaugural IPL last year.
Shane Warne, whose involvement with the game are now limited to his association with the Rajasthan side and in an ambassadorial role with spin bowlers for Cricket Australia, is non-committal about the development.
However, considering his astronomical earnings in Australia as a television commentator and from other sources, it would have taken an offer he could not refuse to induce Warne to accept.
With English cricket in crisis as the result of Pietersen's resignation and the sacking of Moores only months before next summer's Ashes series there, the names of several other Australian coaches, including Greg Chappell, Dav Whatmore, Tom Moody and Geoff Lawson are being mentioned as possible candidates
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