The Ashes summer of 2005 is one that English cricket will never forget. Millions watched as history unfolded, but Kevin Pietersen did more than just witness it.
That series became the blueprint for his Ashes legacy. Whenever Pietersen walked to the crease, the game felt primed for change.
By 2013, Pietersen had become England’s highest run-scorer across all international formats, but numbers alone could never capture his impact - he accumulated runs by making theatre of the pitch.
He also didn’t just play in great Ashes moments. Pietersen created them.
Time with Hampshire
Hampshire beat Surrey and Kent to land Pietersen, one of England’s brightest batting talents.
Signed from Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2005 season, Pietersen made an immediate impact, featuring in the county’s first six Championship games before his England debut in that year’s iconic Ashes. First-class appearances for Hampshire became rare after that, with just one more in 2008.
Pietersen’s Hampshire career wrapped up in a T20 clash against Surrey at Utilita Bowl in 2010, before he moved on to Surrey, leaving behind five years at the county.
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2005 Ashes
Pietersen’s Ashes debut in 2005 was one of the boldest calls of the summer, picked ahead of Graham Thorpe. And few could have predicted the impact he would have.
At The Oval, England only needed a draw to reclaim the Ashes after 16 years. Pietersen was dropped three times before reaching 60, but instead of playing cautiously, he attacked. Brett Lee, bowling at close to 95mph, allowed him fifteen fours and seven sixes, the latter breaking Ian Botham’s England Ashes record.
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When Pietersen finally fell for 158 in the fifth Test, the match was drawn, the series won 2-1, and the urn returned to England's hands. A performance that made the impossible seem inevitable.
Pietersen finished the series as England’s top scorer with 473 runs at 52.55, was named man of the match at The Oval, awarded an MBE, and recognised as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year.
His innings didn’t just save a Test, it reshaped English Ashes history.
2010 Ashes
In the 2010 Ashes in Australia, Pietersen came alive on the third day of the second Test with an audacious display.
Anything short from Peter Siddle or Doug Bollinger was hammered to the boundary, while balls outside off gave him almost an extra second to pick the perfect gap. “I stood like a baseball player, telling myself I'm not going to fall over and die here,” Pietersen later said.
The highlight came with a wristy flick, sending Bollinger’s delivery racing to the legside boundary.
Pietersen reached his century off 158 balls, his first since the West Indies tour in March 2009, celebrating with a roar as a single to square leg brought him to the milestone.
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Pietersen finally returned to the pavilion on 213 from 283 balls, a commanding innings that left the opposition reeling.
He ended a 20-month wait for an international century by making a career-best 227 as England won the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years.
Fire & Fury
Pietersen was never one to step back, and his Ashes battles with Mitchell Johnson were a collision of two combustible forces.
During the 2009 Ashes, tensions reached breaking point off the field, with Johnson revealing just how close things came to boiling over. “I nearly punched him,” the fast bowler admitted, recalling a heated exchange sparked by Pietersen’s relentless needling.
It was classic KP - pushing boundaries, unsettling opponents, and thriving in the heat of battle. His sharp tongue and confrontational edge ensured the rivalry simmered constantly. And Johnson responded the only way he knew how: with the ball, at full throttle.
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When Johnson found his rhythm, especially during the 2013–14 Ashes, the contest quickly moved beyond tactics and into intimidation.
Pietersen later gave a brutally honest assessment of that series, admitting that “England were scared of Mitch Johnson”. It was a rare moment of candour that summed up Johnson’s impact - hostile pace, relentless aggression, and a willingness to target England’s best players without compromise.
Together, they defined an era of Ashes cricket driven by fire, fearlessness and friction, a rivalry as intense as the series itself.
Be Part of History in 2027
The Ashes have always delivered unforgettable moments. In 2027, Hampshire will host its first Men's Ashes Test when England takes on Australia at Utilita Bowl.
Don't just watch history – be part of it.
