New KP unearthed at Edgbaston?

Has the next Kevin Pietersen been unearthed at Edgbaston?

That’s what Warwickshire cricket director and former England spinner Ashley Giles believes after a strong English domestic T20 season from mid-season recruit Adam Hose.

Warwickwhire only signed the 24-year-old batsman part-way through the season, luring Hose across from Somerset, where he had played 31 matches since 2015, with the offer of a three-year contract.

He made an immediate impact, blasting 76 from 43 balls against Lancashire at Edgbaston on July 30.

Since, he’s also produced key knocks of 49 from 35 – again against Lancashire – and 36 from 15 against Surrey to help Warwickshire reach the T20 semi-finals, where they will meet Glamorgan for a spot in the final.

'It’s early days but he is a ‘hairs up on the back of your neck’ sort of player," Giles told the Daily Mail. "Some of the shots he hits, some of his attributes are very similar to KP’s.

"He is the same sort of size, has long levers, hits the ball out in front of himself well, and hits it miles when he gets in." 

Giles is well placed to compare the Isle of Wight product to former England star Pietersen. He played nine Tests alongside the South African-born batsman and was standing at the other end when he scored his maiden Test century against Australia during the 2005 Ashes at The Oval.

Hose’s debut knock against Lancashire featured five sixes, including one that landed in the top tier of Edgbaston’s pavilion end.

"I’ve never seen anyone do that before," Giles said.

"There’s every chance we have got a bit of a golden nugget here.

"He’s done it the tough way but we are delighted to have him."

Giles’ Warwickshire team has undergone a transformation since the opening match of the T20 season, with six players making their debuts for the county during the season: New Zealand allrounders Grant Elliot and Colin de Grandhomme, alongside Hose, Dominic Sibley from Surrey, Ollie Stone (Northamptonshire) and Ed Pollock.

His pursuit of change also saw former England batsman and club captain Ian Bell dropped for the final match of the group stage. Bell immediately quit the county captaincy across all formats and remained on the sidelines for the quarter-final against Surrey.

The former England batsman was also sidelined for the last-eight victory over Surrey. “It was extremely difficult but it was based on winning the next game,” Giles said. “He was disappointed but the bigger picture is always more important, and that is trying to win games."

"After the early games I talked about throwing more punches. In the modern game you can’t have a breather, you have to keep going.

"The rate at which T20 is moving, it’s almost reinventing itself every week now.

"You have to be prepared to play with a philosophy that means you are consistently taking it to the opposition.

"Sometimes it’s not going to come off but you need the personnel who can push that upper limit."