Pietersen is cricket’s answer to Muhammad Ali: Viv Richards
31 Oct 2012 6:09 AM IST
West Indian batting legend Vivian Richards reckons Kevin Pietersen is cricket's answer to Muhammad Ali, and believes the English batsman has got the ‘X-factor’ to respond to his critics in the upcoming four-Test series in India.
Richards, who won seven Tests in India with the great West Indies teams of the 1970s and 80s, finds a similarity between Pietersen and the world's greatest boxer in terms of their behaviours. ‘Kevin is a good player but talks himself into some issues. In the old days we had Muhammad Ali the way he spoke and acted, people wanted to see him knocked out. But he was a great boxer,’ Richards was quoted as saying by The Sun.
‘Now I'm not saying KP is exactly like Ali, that man was the greatest. But you can see through his behaviour that people want to take him down that little bit more. But because he has the X-factor he can respond to it. Looking from afar, he's his own worst enemy but you can't deny how good he is to watch and how important he is to England,’ the West Indian great added.
Pietersen, who was chucked out of the team during the lost Test rubber at home against South Africa for sending unflattering messages to the rival camp about then captain Andrew Strauss and other team members, has made his return to the England fold in the ongoing tour of India. PTI
‘EVERTON PLAY LIKE STOKE CITY’
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has fanned the flames of local rivalry by accusing Everton of using long-ball tactics and playing like Stoke City after the two teams played out a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
Suarez had an injury-time effort harshly ruled out for offside and Reds finished the day as they began it - six points behind Everton in the Premier League.
‘Every single time they get the ball to the goalkeeper it comes in long,’ Gerrard was quoted as saying by the BBC. ‘I thought we were fantastic and stood up to a team that are very similar to Stoke. Everton are effective because they have some big, physical lads in out there.’
Richards, who won seven Tests in India with the great West Indies teams of the 1970s and 80s, finds a similarity between Pietersen and the world's greatest boxer in terms of their behaviours. ‘Kevin is a good player but talks himself into some issues. In the old days we had Muhammad Ali the way he spoke and acted, people wanted to see him knocked out. But he was a great boxer,’ Richards was quoted as saying by The Sun.
‘Now I'm not saying KP is exactly like Ali, that man was the greatest. But you can see through his behaviour that people want to take him down that little bit more. But because he has the X-factor he can respond to it. Looking from afar, he's his own worst enemy but you can't deny how good he is to watch and how important he is to England,’ the West Indian great added.
Pietersen, who was chucked out of the team during the lost Test rubber at home against South Africa for sending unflattering messages to the rival camp about then captain Andrew Strauss and other team members, has made his return to the England fold in the ongoing tour of India. PTI
‘EVERTON PLAY LIKE STOKE CITY’
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has fanned the flames of local rivalry by accusing Everton of using long-ball tactics and playing like Stoke City after the two teams played out a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
Suarez had an injury-time effort harshly ruled out for offside and Reds finished the day as they began it - six points behind Everton in the Premier League.
‘Every single time they get the ball to the goalkeeper it comes in long,’ Gerrard was quoted as saying by the BBC. ‘I thought we were fantastic and stood up to a team that are very similar to Stoke. Everton are effective because they have some big, physical lads in out there.’
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