At the end of a year in which his muscles and confidence have taken a battering, the Premier League’s answer to Kevin Pietersen is finally starting to play his shots again.
James Maddison is one of the most gifted playmakers in the English game and while he has yet to have the impact on international sport that Pietersen – one of England’s greatest batsmen – made, the similarities are there for all to see.
As was the case with Pietersen, you can’t take your eyes off Maddison when he plays. He has the same swagger, is a natural risk-taker and off the pitch, will speak his mind.