Kevin Pietersen announces himself with blistering 1st ODI ton on February 2, 2005: WATCH

The outspoken innovator of the switch-hit, English cricketer Kevin Pietersen made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2004. Despite ending the series with an average score of 104.0, Pietersen was not picked up for England's forthcoming tour of his birthplace, South Africa. On this day, in 2005, after copping much hate from the public, Pietersen scored his first ODI century in the 2nd ENG vs SA ODI at Bloemfontein.

This 96-ball 108* was met with even more hostility from the public, who believed that the South African native had betrayed the country of his birth, but Pietersen persevered. He made 75 in the next game at Cape Town, 100 from 69 at East London and closed out his series with 116 at Centurion Park. While the series ended in a 1-4 defeat for England, it was a huge personal triumph for Pietersen and set the tone for the rest of his career.

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Kevin Pietersen career stats

Considered to be one of the greatest batsmen in English cricket, Kevin Pietersen's career stats are a force to behold. Pietersen played a total of 104 Tests from his debut against Australia in 2005 to his last Test at the Ashes in 2014. He retired with 8,181 Test runs, having scored at an average of 47.2. His highest Test score is 227, against Australia in the 2010-11 Ashes series. Pietersen also played 136 ODIs for England from 2004-2013. In that time, he made 4,440 runs for the country at an average of 40.73. His highest score in the 50-over format is 130.

The veteran batsman also played 37 T20Is for England, making 1176 runs in the shortest format. His average in T20Is was 37.93 while his strike rate was 141.51. Pietersen also had a flourishing franchise cricket career before his retirement, playing in the IPL, BBL, PSL and CPL. He has 5,695 runs from 200 T20 games, scoring at an average of 33.89 and with a strike rate of 136.89. 

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Kevin Pietersen rhinos initiative and net worth 

According to wealtholino.com, Kevin Pietersen's net worth figures stand at $7.5 million. This includes Pietersen's salary from the ECB as well as his earning from the various T20 leagues he has been a part of. Pietersen was the most expensive player at the 2009 IPL auction, where he was snapped up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a staggering ₹7.55 crores.

Since his retirement, the flamboyant cricketer has been working as a commentator and analyst. However, one of the most well-known initiatives the South Africa-born player has put his weight behind is the Saving Our Rhinos Africa & India (SORAI) initiative. Pietersen has constantly spoken out against rhinoceros poaching. Besides, the former player has set up the Umganu Lodge, a luxury resort at the Kruger National Park. 

Disclaimer: The above Kevin Pietersen net worth information is sourced from various websites and media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.

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Video Credits: RS Youtube channel

Image Credits: AP