Kevin Pietersen believes Rahul Dravid had a big role in making him a better player against spin and terms the Indian batting legend as a “genuine guru”.
The maverick England star refers to an email from the former India captain in his autobiography, which has raised a furore for its stinging criticism of the England set-up.
“Rahul was a great and heroic Indian batsman in his day. He is also a genius at dealing with spin bowlers. Our conversations and emails were a private masterclass from a genuine guru,” Pietersen writes in the book. “Rahul improved my cricket and helped me develop the way I think about the game. His generosity will stay with me always.”
In the email quoted by Pietersen, Dravid refers to him as a “champ” and goes on to give him a pep talk: “KP, you are a really good player, you need to watch the ball and trust yourself… Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t play spin, I have seen you and you can!”
Pietersen reveals that he often read it as it brought a smile to his face. “My playing of spin has gone up a number of levels since I’ve spent time in the IPL, and in particular, since I’ve spoken to Rahul Dravid… In England, batsmen get taught to play with the spin. In India, the best players of spin get taught to play against it.”
The South African-born cricketer also praises the Indian Premier League for the “adrenalin rush” and bonding atmosphere.
“The IPL is the future… I could talk about money and the IPL all day to you, but for the friendships alone I would play for free,” says KP who plays for Delhi Daredevils.
“I’ve built all my relationships with foreign cricketers while in the IPL. That doesn’t help in the England dressing room… there are not many of those friendships.
“There is a culture in India that appreciates if you double down and go for the big shot. It’s a game of cricket, not economics.
“Not life or death. Take a risk. IPL crowds don’t want to see you batting out singles as you pick and choose which balls to hit. Life is too short,” he adds.
