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Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann has labelled Kevin Pietersen’s autobiography as “the biggest work of fiction since Jules Verne” in the Telegraph. The South-African born England star’s book is set to be released on Thursday and he has been at the receiving end for his strong criticism of several of his teammates and former coach Andy Flower.
Swann rejects bully claim
Swann also dismissed accusations of him being part of a clique of bowlers guilty of bullying. Pietersen, whose international career came to an end after the disappointing Ashes 2014 campaign Down Under, also pointed fingers at Matt Prior for his forced ouster from the side.
Pietersen, who was made the ‘scapegoat’ for the Ashes whitewash, wrote in the book "KP: The Autobiography", that the wicket-keeper was a "schoolyard bully who was also the teacher’s pet", and accused him of back-stabbing.
Swann summed up his former England teammate’s work as fiction and stated that Prior was trying to help Pietersen get back into the team.
"I expected it to be the biggest work of fiction since Jules Verne and that seems to have happened. The one thing I will say is that I immediately realised it was codswallop when I read the character assassination of Matt Prior.
"Tragically I don’t think Kev realises the one person who fought tooth and nail to keep him in the side is the one person he is now assassinating – Matt Prior," Swann said at an awards ceremony at Lord’s.
Pietersen is diplomatic
The former English bowler also went a step further to claim that Pietersen has targetted people who are no more in the team setup and those who cannot stop his ambitions of an ODI comeback.
"Kevin has been quite clever because the guys still playing he has left alone and he hopes to get back in again one day. He has picked on people who he thinks can’t answer back. If that (bullying) was the case a lot of people would have flagged it up before," the 35-year-old said.
England and Wales Cricket Board’s managing director Paul Downton refused to comment on the book that has critical views against him. Despite everyone being against Pietersen’s book, former England captain Nasser Hussain feels that Pietersen has given an insight into the dressing room albeit being one sided.
“It makes for fascinating reading,” Hussain said. “It was remarkable when KP (Pietersen) was left out at the end of the Ashes and England fans want to know what happened. KP has provided an insight into the dressing room, albeit his side of things.”
