Paul Collingwood missed that game as he completed a four-match ban imposed towards the end of June when talk of new skippers was nothing more than gentle speculation.
A month or so later, convinced that the job was affecting his life on and off the field, Collingwood decided to quit; just before Test skipper Michael Vaughan reached the same conclusion.
"I just felt the captaincy never really allowed me to switch off and recharge the batteries," said Collingwood, who was straight back into the side at No6 today in place of Ravi Bopara.
"That was part of the decision, to just go back into the ranks, because it was getting to the point where I was going on to the field and not enjoying my cricket. It was starting to get to me."
Collingwood had only the one-day captaincy to worry about whereas Pietersen has taken on both jobs. But after one Test and the first of five onedayers against South Africa, life could hardly be better.
"KP has had a wonderful start, which is great for him and for the team," said Collingwood. "The best thing you can do is to win. The tough times come when you start losing and you're wondering whether you've got the right team on the park. If he keeps winning it will be all glory."
That is just about impossible. South Africa had chalked up nine straight victories in one-day internationals before Friday's defeat and again here they were the side under pressure.
So how should Pietersen react when the wheels come off?
"We've got a tough winter ahead," said Collingwood. "When you go to somewhere like India it's always a real test. There will be some hard times along the way but I'm sure KP will learn very quickly because he's that kind of character.
"I would say to him to try to keep enjoying it. That's the most important thing. Whatever you do, you tend to get the best results when you are enjoying it. But he's had a fantastic start with some of the decisions he's made and the way he has gone about the whole job has been very focused."
Collingwood's own form fell away when he was captain, not particularly in one-day cricket but mainly at Test level, and only last month's century against at Edgbaston saved his career at the highest level.
There have been no problems for Pietersen on that score, with a hundred at The Oval after stepping into Vaughan's shoes followed by his manofthe-match 90 not out on Friday. If anything, leadership has added a dash of responsibility to his batting without taking away too much flamboyance.
"KP works hard at his game," said Collingwood. "We've seen already that he's had a kind of discipline about his batting so it's affected him a little bit in that way, maybe for the better. I just hope he continues playing with the kind of flair he does have because that's what gives him the X-factor and makes him better than anyone else."
England will be without left-arm paceman Ryan Sidebottom for the rest of the series because of a groin injury.
