Kevin Pietersen's England career

September 2004: South African born Kevin Pietersen during his turbulent spell for Nottinghamshire when he became eligible to play for England Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian

December 2004: Pietersen hits out during his first one-day series for England, against Zimbabwe in Harare Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty

February 2005: Pietersen celebrates his first century for England in a one-day match against South Africa in Bloemfontein Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty

July 2005: Pietersen is applauded back to the pavilion after his maiden Test century against Australia Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian

August 2005: KP looks frustrated after dropping one of six catches in the Ashes series against Australia Photograph: Hamish Blair/Getty

August 2005: Pietersen celebrates England's victory in the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge and shows off his three lions tattoo Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images

September 2005: Pietersen walks from the field after his innings of 158 in the fifth Test secured a draw and the Ashes Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian

September 2005: Pietersen is cheered by the crowd in Trafalgar Square during the Ashes victory parade Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian

June 2006: Pietersen and his now wife Jessica Taylor from Liberty X Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty

July 2006: Pietersen sweeps Muttiah Muralitharan for six in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's Photograph: Tom Jenkins /Guardian

December 2006: Pietersen is bowled by Warne in Adelaide in the second Test. Australia won back the Ashes after a poor performance by England Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

May 2007: Pietersen celebrates reaching his double century against West Indies at Headingley. He went on to score 226 Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images

June 2008: Pietersen plays his controversial switch-hit sweep against New Zealand's Scott Styris in the one-day international at Chester-le-Street Photograph: Hamish Blair /Getty

July 2008: Pietersen celebrates scoring a century against his native South Africa at Lord's Photograph: Tom Jenkins /Guardian

August 4 2008: KP at his unveiling as England captain Photograph: Stephen Hird/Reuters