Confident KP slams arrogance
21 Nov 2013 5:01 AM IST
The South African-born star batsman was splashed on the front page of the local newspaper in Brisbane this week under the headline: ‘He’s so arrogant not even his own team likes him.’
But Pietersen, 33, tagged ‘Mr Ego’ by the Brisbane Courier-Mail, responded to the claims at a media conference before Thursday’s first Test at the Gabba.
‘I’ve got to be confident in my ability,’ he said. ‘Clearly, as a South African coming into England, I had to really fight some tough battles and had to be single-minded in achieving what I’ve had to try and achieve.
‘I can’t help people thinking that I’m arrogant. I think a lot of great sportsmen out there have that little bit of something to them that makes them try and be the best and want to be the best.
‘I call it confidence. You guys (media) call it arrogance, it makes for better headlines.’ There has been speculation that Pietersen might retire after this Ashes series, but he made it clear he has unfinished business ahead.
Pietersen wants to retire with 10,000 Test runs (he currently has 7,887), he wants to win the 2015 World Cup with England and he wants to score a Test century in his country of birth, South Africa.
‘Fortunately with this side we’ve won everything. We’ve won a T20 World Cup, we’ve won Ashes home and away, we’ve won in India,’ he said. ‘The World Cup 2015 is something I’d love to have a go at with England. I’ve (also) got home and away hundreds against each country apart from South Africa.
‘Our tour to South Africa is 2015-16. If the old man can survive until then, I’d like to get there.’ Pietersen said there was no issue between him and his English teammates heading into the new Ashes series, adding he had learnt from his mistakes.
‘We’re getting on really well, all winning together,’ he said. ‘We’ve all played a lot of cricket together ... these things happen. You have ups and downs. We all make mistakes.’
Trott, Barmy Army in Johnson’s sights
BRISBANE: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson today said he has batsman Jonathan Trott and England’s travelling Barmy Army fans in his sights in the Ashes series starting Thursday.
The last time England were in Australia in 2010-11, Trott and the England top order took Johnson apart on the field, while the Barmy Army tormented him from the stands at every opportunity.
It was a double act which threatened Johnson’s future in Test cricket. But with a new-found mental fortitude attributed to fatherhood and an improved bowling action engineered by Australia pace great Dennis Lillee, Johnson believes he is back in business.
If the Barmy Army engage in their usual raucous behaviour in the first Test at the Gabba, the left-arm paceman said he will give it right back.
‘I copped a bit of stick there and I just gave it back to them when it was the right time,’ Johnson told reporters. ‘In the end, if I’m getting wickets and playing well, I don’t think I’m going to cop as much. If I do, I’ve heard it all, experienced it all and I’ve learnt how to block it out.
‘If you get a bit of banter back, they do appreciate it. It just depends on what you do back to them. I did rile them in Birmingham (during the one-day series this year).
Johnson said he is looking forward to bowling to England number three Trott during the five-Test series. ‘There’s a lot of talk about it, within the group and outside, so I’m definitely looking forward to it. uring the one-day series (in England) we saw that he didn’t like it.’
But Pietersen, 33, tagged ‘Mr Ego’ by the Brisbane Courier-Mail, responded to the claims at a media conference before Thursday’s first Test at the Gabba.
‘I’ve got to be confident in my ability,’ he said. ‘Clearly, as a South African coming into England, I had to really fight some tough battles and had to be single-minded in achieving what I’ve had to try and achieve.
‘I can’t help people thinking that I’m arrogant. I think a lot of great sportsmen out there have that little bit of something to them that makes them try and be the best and want to be the best.
‘I call it confidence. You guys (media) call it arrogance, it makes for better headlines.’ There has been speculation that Pietersen might retire after this Ashes series, but he made it clear he has unfinished business ahead.
Pietersen wants to retire with 10,000 Test runs (he currently has 7,887), he wants to win the 2015 World Cup with England and he wants to score a Test century in his country of birth, South Africa.
‘Fortunately with this side we’ve won everything. We’ve won a T20 World Cup, we’ve won Ashes home and away, we’ve won in India,’ he said. ‘The World Cup 2015 is something I’d love to have a go at with England. I’ve (also) got home and away hundreds against each country apart from South Africa.
‘Our tour to South Africa is 2015-16. If the old man can survive until then, I’d like to get there.’ Pietersen said there was no issue between him and his English teammates heading into the new Ashes series, adding he had learnt from his mistakes.
‘We’re getting on really well, all winning together,’ he said. ‘We’ve all played a lot of cricket together ... these things happen. You have ups and downs. We all make mistakes.’
Trott, Barmy Army in Johnson’s sights
BRISBANE: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson today said he has batsman Jonathan Trott and England’s travelling Barmy Army fans in his sights in the Ashes series starting Thursday.
The last time England were in Australia in 2010-11, Trott and the England top order took Johnson apart on the field, while the Barmy Army tormented him from the stands at every opportunity.
It was a double act which threatened Johnson’s future in Test cricket. But with a new-found mental fortitude attributed to fatherhood and an improved bowling action engineered by Australia pace great Dennis Lillee, Johnson believes he is back in business.
If the Barmy Army engage in their usual raucous behaviour in the first Test at the Gabba, the left-arm paceman said he will give it right back.
‘I copped a bit of stick there and I just gave it back to them when it was the right time,’ Johnson told reporters. ‘In the end, if I’m getting wickets and playing well, I don’t think I’m going to cop as much. If I do, I’ve heard it all, experienced it all and I’ve learnt how to block it out.
‘If you get a bit of banter back, they do appreciate it. It just depends on what you do back to them. I did rile them in Birmingham (during the one-day series this year).
Johnson said he is looking forward to bowling to England number three Trott during the five-Test series. ‘There’s a lot of talk about it, within the group and outside, so I’m definitely looking forward to it. uring the one-day series (in England) we saw that he didn’t like it.’
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