Pietersen and The Big Cheese

The next chapter in Pietersen’s autobiography is Pietersen and The Big Cheese. Who was The Big Cheese? Let’s find out.

KP was playing for Surrey where his performance and confidence did not improve. KP insists that if only there had been an empathetic coach, his problems could have been sorted. Again, he expects sort of a father figure in the dressing room of an international sports team. He went and played for Natal in South Africa where Graham Ford took him under his wings. Ford, told him that he was still a great batsman and he was able to pick up the flaws within a few balls. Again, KP needed someone to tell him that he was a great batsman. Why would he want that? He wasn’t a child anymore. Anyway, let me continue. Ford told him that his head wasn’t where it must be. It must be closer to the ball. After he met with Ford, his game improved and he felt confident.

Ashes 2011 in Australia where England have not won a series since 1986. First Test at Brisbane, his returns were modest. Out yet again to Peter Siddle whom he hates to bat against because Siddle was patience personified who kept the ball at the same line and length without trying too much, trying to work on the temperament of the batsman. Second Test at Adelaide, KP was at his best with 227 and the wicket of Michael Clarke to boot. His first century in over 20 months. A load off his back with England leading 1-0. Third Test, Johnson back in the team, he blows England away rather quickly. The series was tied 1-1. Fourth Test, England won handsomely with a little contribution from Pietersen. This is where he writes about how annoying Matt Prior was.

Matt Prior and his childishness

Prior for some reason, began to call himself The Big Cheese. His shouting in the dressing room grew louder and louder. Big Cheese had a wonderful day. Big Cheese bought these clothes or Big Cheese did these things. Something to that effect. On the field, Prior sledged his team rather than the opposition. He sort of became the leader of abuse and took a special liking when he was told that he was the heartbeat of the team, the voice of the dressing room.

Prior kept talking about himself on and on and on. Yet, KP was unable to understand why he, Pietersen was labelled as someone with a bigger ego. Prior according to him was the biggest egoistic person in that dressing room. The 5^th Test was won and with that the Ashes. The following ODIs were just a blur for the entire England team because they had already won the ultimate prize.

It was around this time, Pietersen started to face a unique phenomenon. He was being isolated within the dressing room with occasional sly comments about his IPL money etc. KP insists that he is a private person and that he longs to be with his family whenever he can. He liked to be left alone whenever there isn’t any need of him. Perhaps, Pietersen found calm and peace when he was alone. This was construed differently by the English players.

The audacity of the bowlers

The ODI In India was about to start where he spoke to Flower to stop this isolation. It was between him, Flower and Strauss. Pietersen told them that the onfield abuse of their own players must stop immediately. At this stage, Anderson, Broad, Prior and Swann joined the conversation. They said that it was well within their rights to be angry towards a fielder whenever he messes up. The fielder must apologise to the bowler. Now, this is just ridiculous. If a fielder needs to apologise to the bowler if he misfields or drops a catch, there will not be a single game where any fielder would not have to go through this. This was insane. For such senior bowlers to insist, it showed how rotten the English dressing got during those days.

Hernia, Flower and the deceit

At the World Cup, KP was injured and it was found that he had a hernia. He was hardly able to run. A decision was taken to send him home and have the surgery. It was taken by Andy Flower. However, Flower to the media told to the effect that this was a known problem and that he expected Pietersen to play through the pain. KP felt completely letdown and told Flower so because it was Flower’s decision to send him home. His first series upon his return, against Sri Lanka wasn’t that great. He scored one 50 and in that Test, Matt Prior, who he calls Big Cheese, came into the dressing room and broke the window out of sheer rage. Strauss the captain defended Prior stating that since Prior keeps his kit near the window, the bat must have bounced off of other bats and hit the window.

Wrapping up Pietersen and The Big Cheese

KP then goes onto his preparation before his turn to bat. I will not go into the details of it. One thing he also insists is that when people ask him why did he play such a horrendous shot to get out while batting well, he never could explain. For him, if he sees a ball, he needs to hit it. That is how he liked to bat. A thousand things run through his mind while the bowler is at the top of his mark. Which way was he holding the ball? What is he trying to do? Would he like to swing the ball?

All of these within the 3-4 seconds before the ball is delivered. When he sees a ball that is within his striking ability, he goes with his instinct. It has succeeded and it has also failed. When he sees a spinner, he thinks to himself to hit him out of the park but a moment later, when he walks back to the pavilion, he admonishes himself.