Often a polarising figure while on England duty, the end of Kevin Pietersen's international career split opinion among his fellow former England captains.
Tuesday's announcement by the England and Wales Cricket Board was praised by Bob Willis as an "act of authority" on the part of its new managing director, Paul Downton.
But Michael Vaughan, star batsman Pietersen's first Test captain, lamented the failure to "manage a maverick".
Former fast bowler Willis, citing Pietersen's run-ins with England coaches Peter Moores and Andy Flower, whose time with the national side both ended before the batsman's, albeit just by a few days in Flower's case following the fall out from the 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia, 'came off his long run' on Sky Sports.
"Full marks to Paul Downton - he's put his stamp of authority on the job," Willis said.
"Let's be honest -- Pietersen has disrupted every single dressing-room he's been in," added former fast bowler Willis, a team-mate of Downton's in England teams of the early 1980s.
"No man is bigger than the game, and England have decided Kevin Pietersen got too big for his boots."
Meanwhile Vaughan, acknowledging he'd been fortunate to deal with Pietersen before the advent of the lucrative, Indian Premier League, nevertheless insisted he'd been mismanaged of late.
"England lost 5-0 and need a huge scapegoat," he told BBC Radio. "You have to be able to manage mavericks. You can't have clones around."
Nasser Hussain, Vaughan's immediate predecessor as England captain had mixed feelings at a decision that left current skipper Alastair Cook without one of his most talented players.
"History tells you with Kevin he hasn't really got a foot to stand on - whether it be back in Natal or Hampshire or Nottinghamshire, or Peter Moores or Andrew Strauss or Alastair Cook or Andy Flower, wherever he has been he has been a problem.
