ABSOLUTE INTERVIEW
Cricket’s Mr Cool? With a record as the fastest batsman to reach both 1,000 and 2,000 runs in One Day International cricket, South African born English cricket star Kevin Pietersen, knows what success in his game feels like. Danny Masters speaks to the England and Surrey batsman
You’ve had plenty of career highlights, but
the TV on in the dressing room, the sound is always
the rivalry that goes with it. I used to love watching
what’s been your worst memory?
turned down so I never hear the commentators
Michael Schumacher when he was in his pomp but
It would have to be my skunk haircut in the 2005
abusing me.
these days I think Mark Webber is outstanding, and
Ashes series! Whenever highlights of that great series are shown, it’s all I see. I look back now
How do you cope with all the abuse you
Seb Vettel is obviously a truly great young driver.
get when you play abroad?
Has becoming a father changed your
It honestly doesn’t bother me when I get stick
approach to cricket?
from the crowd during a game. In a way it’s a
It’s made a difference in that I don’t think about
compliment because they know you’re a threat.
what I’m doing as much as I used to. I’ve entered
It’s all fine. The only time I have a problem with it is
a different world. Something you thought was the
How do you psych yourself up before you
people shouting abuse when you’re walking down
biggest and best thing in your life suddenly plays
go out and bat?
the street. In Australia, this young guy was giving me
second fiddle. I wasn’t even affected by lack of
I don’t have a set routine. I’m not one of those
some really bad racist abuse when I was outside a
sleep because he slept twelve hours a night when
players who shuts himself away or listens to music.
restaurant with my wife Jess and her mum. In the
he was a baby so we were very fortunate. Nothing
I just sit around laughing, joking and talking rubbish
end I had to apologise to Jess’s mum. I love the
beats waking him up in the morning and getting
with the other lads.
rivalry and stick you get on the field, but away from
that beaming smile. It’s just incredible.
and just wish someone had told me to go and get a short back and sides. I suppose I was young and hadn’t grown up, but it’s a horrible image to constantly be reminded of.
When you’ve just been dismissed, and you
the cricket ground, I don’t think there’s any excuse.
Do you prefer playing Twenty20 cricket to
return to the dressing room, have you ever
What other sports are you good at?
test cricket?
lashed out at anything in frustration?
Thanks to my hand-eye co-ordination I’m okay at
I love Twenty20 cricket but for me, test cricket is
I’ve never been one to throw my bat or my
rugby; although I’ve broken my arm a few times
helmet! I just go and watch. I’m of the mind that
and had pins and plates inserted. I’m pretty good at
there’s absolutely nothing you can do once you’re
athletics, squash and tennis too. But I really want to
out. You’ve just got to take it on the chin, so I’ll go
try my hand at baseball. I’ve actually asked one of
and sit on the balcony and watch the rest of the
my sponsors to see if I can trial out and have a go
lads bat. It’s a team game so you have to support
at playing it. We talk about it a lot in the dressing
your mate who’s taking guard. I’ll watch the replays
room and it’s something I’d just love to see if I was
on the TV of how I got out, but that’s about it.
any good at. I’m at a good age now to have a go,
You seem to get more criticism from the media than anyone else when you run into poor form. Does that hurt? I don’t mind it. I look at it that if they’re talking about you, then you’re alright. Obviously I’d like them to be always talking about me favourably but that’s impossible in cricket. Besides, when we have 26
before I get to 35 and my eyes start going! What other sports, aside from cricket, do you enjoy watching? I love watching rugby but I’m also a huge F1 fan. I’ve been lucky enough to have been to a few grand prix circuits. I don’t really follow a particular driver, I just like the tactics and strategy of the teams and all
The famous skunk haircut adorned by Kevin in 2005
ABSOLUTE
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