Kevin Pietersen turns 43: A look at astonishing numbers of England's all-time great batters

Kevin Pietersen. Pic/AFP

England's Kevin Pietersen, one of the most destructive batters of the modern era, turned 43 on Tuesday.

Having made his international debut in 2004 at the age of 24, Pietersen dominated the next decade in England's batting line-up and made a name for himself as a hard-hitting batter.

Pietersen played 104 Tests for England, in which he scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47.28. He scored 23 centuries and 35 half-centuries in 181 innings, with the best score of 227.

He is the sixth-highest scorer for England in Test cricket, with the top scorer being Alastair Cook (12,472 runs).

Pietersen played 136 ODIs for England, scoring 4,440 runs at an average of 40.73. He has scored nine centuries and 25 fifties in the format, with the best score of 130.

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In ODIs, he is the fourth-fastest to 1,000 runs (in 21 innings) and second-fastest to 2,000 runs (45 innings).

He is the seventh-highest scorer for England in ODIs. The highest scorer for England in ODIs is the 2019 World Cup winning skipper Eoin Morgan (6,957 runs).

The 43-year-old also represented England in 37 T20Is, scoring 1,176 runs at an average of 37.93, with seven half-centuries and best score of 79.

He is also the part of the English side that won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2010, their first major world title win in cricket. Pietersen was in stunning form throughout the tournament, finishing as second highest run-scorer with 248 runs in six matches at an average of 62.00, with two half-centuries. He was given the 'Player of the Tournament' award.

Overall in 277 international matches, Pietersen scored 13,797 runs at an average of 44.07, with 32 centuries and 67 half-centuries, with the best score of 227.

Behind Cook (15,737 runs) and Joe Root (18,268), he is the third-highest run-scorer for England.

Pietersen was honoured with both the ICC 'ODI Player of the Year' and 'Emerging Player of the Year' awards in 2005 and was also one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year (2006)

He also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL), representing teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. In 36 matches, he scored 1,001 runs at an average of 37.07. He scored one century and four half-centuries. Pietersen scored at a strike rate of 134.72.

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