England managing director Paul Downton, while announcing Peter Moores as the new coach for England, said Kevin Pietersen will not be given a second chance with the team.
It was during Moores' period that Pietersen captained England, and a disagreement in matters led to a split and eventually both individuals lost their roles in the national team. Since that episode in January 2009, Pietersen continued to play for England, and not until the 0-5 defeat in the last Ashes was he axed for reasons that still remain unknown.
"The sooner we understand that Kevin has had his time, the better," Downton said at the press conference, unveiling the new coach in Moores. "Pietersen had got disconnected from the team. I don't see any going back.
"People have been looking for a smoking gun but there were no specific issues with Kevin.
"We had a strong side over 10 years with strong leadership and established captains and coaches, and that side could accommodate Kevin, but that balance has shifted now," Downton continued. "A new side won't accommodate Kevin. It's about the balance of what is best for England."
Pietersen, who is currently in the UAE for the IPL, tweeted ahead of the announcement: "Everyone deserves a second chance!"
Though unclear whom he was referring to, Moores was quick to remark that it was a "good tweet". Moores, 51, will leave his job as the head coach for Lancashire, after having served the county side for five years, to join the national team. Looking ahead to the role, he wanted very little to do with his first tenure as the England coach.
"The important point to make is I never fell out with Kevin, Kevin fell out with me. There's a noble difference," Moores said. "But I don't have any blame at all - I moved on quickly. I went on to coach a great club at Lancashire. That's a strength of mine to look forward and not look back. I'm looking forward now to what will be a very exciting time."
Moores succeeds Andy Flower, who stepped down after the infamous Ashes defeat, and replaces Ashley Giles, who served as the limited overs coach for 18 months, so as to coach the team in all formats of the game.
As the coach for Lancashire, Moores achieved a sweet feat of winning the County Championship in 2011 - their first in 77 years. Downton said that it was all thanks to Moores, to have brought the likes of Flower and Mushtaq Ahmed into the England setup. The new face of English cricket, he was certain, would be Moores and captain Alastair Cook. And it was made very clear that it was the end of road for Pietersen.
"After the Ashes we spoke to all the coaches, several senior players and the chairman of selectors James Whittaker, and came to the conclusion that if England were going to rebuild we had to make a decision, rebuild not for the next three months, but two years, three years, five years," Downtown said. "We had to invest in new players, build a new team with some core values and it was decided that wouldn't happen with Kevin in the side.
"What you see on either side of me [coach Peter Moores and captain Alastair Cook] is the future of England cricket and I don't see any intention of going back."
(Ed: VP)
