England should stand by their decision to leave Kevin Pietersen in the international wilderness, with former Australia coach John Buchanan claiming the outcast would tear the team apart.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) ended Pietersen's international career in February last year but the 34-year-old is stepping up his attempts to get back into the England Test team after joining County Championship outfit Surrey this week.
Pietersen has a burning desire to return to the national fold following comments made by ECB chairman Colin Graves, who hinted the South African-born batsman could make a return to the international stage.
But Buchanan - a Cricket World Cup and Ashes-winning coach with Australia - is adamant Pietersen would be a destructive influence.
"A decision was made for good reasons," Buchanan told BBC World Service.
"Leadership is about sticking by that decision."
There have been mixed messages coming out of the ECB, with Graves keeping the door open to a possible return, only for the ECB to insist there had been no change to their stance regarding Pietersen.
"Various things have torn at the fabric of the England team and that [mixed messages] has certainly been one of them," Buchanan added.
"There has been a clear decision made by the ECB about where Pietersen fits in the English camp. Let them stick by the decision, draw that line in the sand and say this is what we really stand for.
"You will always have people like Pietersen that are game changers and they are usually difficult to handle because they are quite selfish.
"When things are going well for them, there are no better people in the team, they are caring, sharing and give a lot of support to everyone, but when things are not going well they become quite destructive. They can tear things apart."