David Leggat: Five-star slagging off of teammates unlikely to foster return of batsman

England's Kevin Pietersen. Photo / AP

Kevin Pietersen was never going to go quietly.

Not his style, not by a long shot. When it was revealed his book was coming out, a chance to get plenty off his chest, officialdom and not a few teammates would have ducked for cover.

Here's a couple of curious items from the book which has produced a spectacular firestorm of reaction: Pietersen evidently has a habit of casually whistling as he walked back to the pavilion after being dismissed; and he wants to return to the England side. He says he picked up the whistling routine from his father. A sign, presumably, of either arrogance (England and Wales Cricket Board reaction for certain) or some sort of nervous reaction. Some players spit, burp, break wind or curse. Pietersen whistles.

That Pietersen professes to genuinely want his place back tells much about his personality.

As if he was ever going to set foot back in the England dressing room after his five-star slagging of teammates and management.

Players don't necessarily need to get along to make successful teams. Take New Zealand's highly successful and lauded group through the 1980s. Anyone with knowledge of that time knows that group was not always a large, happy family. But they were (mostly) able to set aside differences on the park for a common cause.

So wicketkeeper Matt Prior is a bully. Graeme Swann, James Anderson and co were of similar ilk. They barked at players who dropped catches or misfielded. Crikey. Never heard of that before.

That Pietersen clearly didn't feel the love may say more about the man than those around him.

Terrific batsman, huge ego, a player who divided opinion like few others.

Former team boss Andy Flower was evidently a "mood hoover". Bet Pietersen didn't think of that on his own.

And any comments from the likes of Australian Ricky Ponting should immediately be discounted. How much time did he spend in the England dressing room, travelling on planes, parking up in hotels, in team meetings with those players?

Ponting's tuppence worth should be put where it belongs, in the round filing cabinet.

Wherever your sympathies lie, there's this: It's a cracking tale - albeit with loads of he said/they said - but don't take too much of it too seriously. This is, after all, a distinctly English affair.

There's legs in this too. Stand by for the other side. Prior, a garrulous sort, is promising to respond. Others may follow. Ding, ding, seconds out.