"The ECB said Pietersen resigned. He went before he was pushed, that was quite obvious. Coming off his safari he heard they were sacking him. Why else would he make his statement just before getting on a plane?" Geoffrey Boycott asked.
"What did the England and Wales Cricket Board expect when they appointed him? They knew then he was outrageous and different, a one-off and a showman. But the most important thing is he’s a winner," said Boycott.
"Maybe KP told the board some home truths, and also told some players to buck up their ideas if they wanted to win the Ashes. Some people just can’t take the truth. Geniuses are often misunderstood," he said.
Boycott said, "As for Peter Moores, his departure doesn’t bother me. For a long time now I have felt this was an accident waiting to happen."
"When Moores was appointed, my choice would have been John Wright. A quiet lad, but with an iron fist inside a velvet glove. As coach of India he had a strong captain in Sourav Ganguly, but players and public adored him. He played for New Zealand, but he has no ego," Boycott said.
"What a mess," said England’s 2005 Ashes-winning coach Duncan Fletcher.
"How sad for English cricket that a year containing a home Ashes series has begun in such chaos. The selectors really should have stepped in before things turned ugly. Instead, England are in real trouble with the arrival of the Australians only a few months away. It all seems such a shame,"said Fletcher.
"Andrew Strauss was the only viable option. But he will need the support of all the other players, and he will need to be rated by the other players too – which is crucial for any leader." said Wasim Akram.
"There are egos in that dressing room who could cause more problems for the new captain. Not least of the difficulties will be how to handle KP when he returns to the rank and file," he said.