Time for England batsman Kevin Pietersen to reconsider his Test future, writes Malcolm Conn

KEVIN Pietersen has neither his head or his heart in the game and must reconsider his future as a Test cricketer, writes Malcolm Conn.

KEVIN Pietersen must reconsider his future as a Test cricketer.

On the evidence of his dismissal to a disgraceful slog at the MCG on Friday, Pietersen has neither his head nor his heart in the game.

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To give away his wicket, bowled by Mitchell Johnson for 71, when England desperately needed Pietersen to be the foundation of a rearguard action on the second morning of the fourth Test is simply inexcusable.

Watch KP's dismissal in the video above

His teammates should have locked the dressing room door and not let him in.

Despite all the public England pap about Pietersen, no one in or out of the England dressing room seriously believes he is a team player.

News_Rich_Media: Australia let off Kevin Pietersen, who was caught on just six runs only for substitute fielder Nathan Coulter-Nile to lose his bearings and jump over the boundary rope, handing the Englishman a six instead of an early shower.

The England hierarchy proved as much when they sacked him last season.

His "reintegration" was simply a pragmatic decision from both sides. Pietersen wanted to play international cricket and England wanted its best batsman in the side.

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But given his divisive nature and his failure to bring anything to the team apart from runs, is he really worth the trouble anymore?

Graeme Swann did little to hide his loathing for Pietersen and despite the attempt to recalibrate his retirement remarks everyone who heard Swann talk about players disappearing up their own backside instantly thought of Pietersen.

He had already received two lives on Boxing Day, one from a hook and one from a pull, his two favourite modes of dismissal.

News_Image_File: Mitchell Johnson and the Australian players celebrate the dismissal of Kevin Pietersen on day two of the Boxing Day Test.

To put no value on his wicket after spending most of the first day blocking or leaving is beyond comprehension.

Pietersen may be the most talented batsman in the England side by the length of the Royal Ascot home straight but this series has proved he is no longer mentally in tune with Test cricket.

He either blocks or slogs. There is no rhythm in his batting to build a long innings.

And to constantly wheel out the "that's the way he plays" line has worn thin.

Irresponsibility is irresponsibility and can't be fudged as anything else when your team is struggling and needs someone to play a long and dedicated innings.

There has been absolutely nothing dedicated about the way Pietersen has batted for much of this tour.

News_Rich_Media: Kevin Pietersen has slammed suggestions that he is not fully committed to England's cause.

The former South African should follow the lead of his fellow countryman Jacques Kallis and make his focus the 2015 one-day World Cup and superannuation in the IPL.

At 33, Pietersen should be in his prime as a modern, professional batsman yet his figures currently suggest otherwise.

While his 2013 has been nowhere near as bad as Kallis', it is well below par for a senior player of Pietersen's ability.

Even with the 71 he completed in the first innings, which was just his second half century of the series, Pietersen is averaging just 33, well below his career average of 47.

In 11 Tests this year Pietersen is averaging 34 with just one century.

In his latest innings Pietersen went past Geoff Boycott's 8114 runs to be fourth on England's list of all time run scores.

A good year or so and Pietersen would go past Graham Gooch's all time England record of 8900 but Pietersen no longer appears to have a good year in him.