England's South African XI

Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen was a crowd-puller and one of the greatest batsmen England have ever fielded

Perhaps the greatest South African to have represented England in cricket, Kevin Pietersen was born in 1980 in Pietermaritzburg of the Natal Province of South Africa to a British mother and an African father.

He opted England over South Africa to pursue his cricket as he felt that the racial quota system of the African nation belittled his opportunities to make to the larger stage.

Be it because of his hairstyles, his controversies or his run-making, Pietersen was always in the news and a player with a larger than life image. He complimented his audacity with 8181 Test runs @ 47.28 across 104 Tests, a record at one time. He had announced his arrival in grand style as his knock of 158 in the final Test of the famous 2005 Ashes earned him the Man of the Match award.

He was no less in the limited overs format as he completed 1000 runs in 21 innings, equalling Viv Richards' record.