2003: Averages more than 50 for the third season running but becomes disenchanted with his county employers and threatens to sue for unfair dismissal, even though relegated Nottinghamshire insist he has not been sacked.

2005: Joins the England squad for the one-day series against his native South Africa.

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2005: Registers maiden century with 108 in the second match in Bloemfontein. Scores further centuries in East London and Centurion. Becomes the fastest man in history to reach 500 one-day international runs.

2005: Scores 57 and 64 on Test debut against Australia, then hits century to rescue England, who claim the Ashes with a draw in the final Test at The Oval.

2006: Becomes the first batsman since 1990 to score a century in three successive Test innings on English soil with 142 against Sri Lanka.

2007: Posts his highest score of 226 in the second Test against the West Indies at Headingley.

2008: Replaces Michael Vaughan as Test captain and Paul Collingwood as one-day skipper, leading England to a
4-0 thrashing of South African in the one-day series.

2009: Reports of a rift between Pietersen and coach Peter Moores surface and he resigns as England captain.

November 2010-January 2011: On top form in England’s Ashes series win in Australia, with the highlight a career-best 227 in Adelaide.

2012: Fined by the ECB for a Twitter outburst against Sky commentator Nick Knight.

2012: Retires from one-day and Twenty20 internationals.