How important is Pietersen to England's chances?

Australia rejoices and England frets as Kevin Pietersen, statistically the best batsman in the England side, undergoes Achilles surgery and misses the rest of the Ashes. However, is he really that important to England's prospects? Perhaps not, especially if we use the criteria of Test hundreds and the circumstances they were made in.

To my mind, Pietersen has played only one truly great innings - his 158 versus Australia at the Oval in 2005. There, under extreme pressure, with England's grip on the Ashes marginal, he took the Australian's apart like no other Englishman since Ian Botham in 1986-87.

Since then, there have been two innings against Sri Lanka in 2006, which were big and full of exciting and innovative shots, but only his 142 at Birmingham could be justified as being 'special' to one degree or another. His runs against Pakistan, Australia, and the West Indies in subsequent series were made on either on flat pitches or against poor attacks.

His hundreds against India were good, but unrewarded. However, Pietersen did nothing against Sri Lanka. Twice he came to England's rescue home and away against New Zealand, but again while these were crucial innings given the state of the matches, both were made against woefully inadequate attacks.

Since then, there have been three centuries against very good attacks (South Africa and India) and one against an average attack while waiting for a declaration. The record in those three games where he hit a century - one England win. That makes 16 hundreds. The win/draw/loss ratio for those hundreds is seven wins, eight draws and one loss.

There are four nineties, but of those, only two are noteworthy - 97 versus West Indies at Jamaica earlier this year and a 94 against South Africa at Birmingham in August 2008. They are noteworthy because they both ended with his wicket being given away to mediocre spinners and England losing the Test. England have lost three of the games where he scored nineties.

Therefore I would argue, Pietersen is a wonderfully talented batsman who puts bums on seats, he can take any attack apart given favourable conditions and circumstances, he has a great average and an exceptional conversion ratio. However, what he has not done consistently is carry the England team on his back and win games. Sleep easy England.