With the Twenty20 World Cup fast approaching in March, England should pick Kevin Pietersen if they are to have a serious go at claiming the trophy for a second time.
The controversial batsman hasn't played in a Three Lions' shirt since their disastrous Ashes tour down under over two years ago, where they were wiped out 5-0 by the rampant Australians, despite being the visitors' leading run-scorer. Since then the controversial batsman has become a gun for hire plying his trade in various T20 leagues around the world - including a handful of county games for Surrey last summer.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man
Pietersen has been known for his sensational timing and rising to the occasion. In his first international tour he was given a hostile reception as he was met by choruses of boos every time he walked out to bat against his native South Africa.
He went on to silence the critics with three centuries in the five-match series. In his first Test series he helped England regain the Ashes for the first time in 18 years, with his 158 at the Oval being the final nail in the Aussies' coffin. On the day he went to meet the new Director of English Cricket, none other than his former captain Andrew Strauss - who called him a "c**t" on television, to talk about his international future, he made an unbeaten triple hundred for Surrey.
After two low scores in the Big Bash, the once skunk haired assassin single-handedly broke the Melbourne Stars' semi-final hoodoo as he led them to their first final with 62. Although the Stars came up short in the final, KP treated the crowd to one of his patented masterclasses as he smashed 74 off just 39 balls to keep the hosts in the game as wickets tumbled around him.
The man himself has never shied away from a challenge and loves the spotlight. He may not be publicising it anymore, but he's chomping at the bit to play for England again, especially in the shortest format with the World T20 just the sort of occasion to bring out his best and prove his doubters wrong.
2010 T20 World Cup
Pietersen was named as the Man of the Series in England's only ever global tournament win. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the competition with 248 runs at an average of 62 with a strike-rate of almost 140.
Fifties in Super Eight matches against Pakistan (73*) and South Africa (53) led England into the last four before an unbeaten 43 got them over the line against Sri Lanka. Faced with the old enemy in the final, he struck 47 as England lifted the trophy.
Imagine how good a chance England would have of reclaiming the title with a batting line-up consisting of Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Kevin Pietersen, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. The epitome of aggression, 250 wouldn't be out of reach.
Man in form
In his last two T20 tournaments Pietersen has finished second and third on the respective run-scorers charts. In his first Ram Slam campaign in South Africa Pietersen finished behind Protea gloveman Quinton de Kock with 401 runs - 36 less than the left-hander but he only played seven games for the Dolphins compared to de Kock's 11, including back-to-back hundreds.
In the recently concluded Big Bash, where the Sydney Thunder defeated Pietersen's Melbourne Stars to lift the crown for the first time, Pietersen finished behind Chris Lynn and Usman Khawaja - who is in the form of his life. The former England skipper mustered 323 runs with four fifties at a rate just under 160.
Michael Vaughan has come out in support of his former match winner, and the selectors should take heed of his advice as Pietersen could be the x-factor they need to win the tournament. The fans don't care about the politics behind the scenes between Pietersen and Strauss, and the senior players who dislike the man aren't even in the T20 squad anymore. The supporters want to see the best XI take the field, and in the shortest format there isn't anybody better than Pietersen in England.