The Ups and Downs of Pietersen's England Captaincy

4 August 2008 Kevin Pietersen replaces Michael Vaughan as England's Test captain and also takes over the one-day captaincy from Paul Collingwood.

6 August England's coach Peter Moores contacts Pietersen for "clear-the-air talks" with the new captain in Northampton. "Kevin will need support from me at times," he said later, "and I'll need support from him, and that's the way the coach-player relationship works. I'm excited that the challenge is out there to build that relationship now. You try to balance between challenge and support all the time. What I like about him is that he has got a view."

7 August Pietersen's captaincy begins well as England bowl South Africa out for 194 on the opening day of the final Test at The Oval.

8 August Pietersen scores century in his debut innings as captain, his 14th Test hundred.

11 August Captain completes a fairytale week with England's six-wicket win over South Africal. Makes 13 in the second innings.

3 September The summer ends on a high as England complete a 4-0 thrashing of South Africa in the one-day campaign.

1 November After an uncomfortable week in Antigua, during which questions are raised about England's presence at Sir Allemn Stanford's ground, Pietersen leads his side in a 10-wicket thrashing in the Stanford Twenty/20 for $20m match.

26 November England are left facing a one-day whitewash after India take a 5–0 lead in Cuttack.

27 November The final two one-day internationals are cancelled following the terrorist atrocities in Mumbai. The squad returns to the UK to take stock.

6 December After days of speculation about who will return to India, Pietersen takes all squad members to Abu Dhabi for a training camp. The waverers in the squad are persuaded to return to India for the two-Test series.

15 December Despite dominating the Test in Chennai, England lose by six wickets after failing to defend a target of 387.

23 December England and India draw the second Test in Mohali in which Pietersen hits his 15th Test hundred.

29 December Pietersen reported to have sent a text message to Vaughan to apologize for his omission from the squad to tour West Indies.

1 January 2009 Reports emerge of a rift between Pietersen, who had wanted Vaughan to tour, and Moores.

5 January Talks between the ECB hierarchy and the men involved in the relationship-breakdown continue.

7 January Pietersen reported to have resigned as England captain, and Moores said to have quit his role as coach.