Not respecting South Africa was a big mistake: Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, in his recently released book KP: The Autobiography, has admitted that walking out on his native South Africa as a 19-year-old alleging that the quota system hindered his progress as a cricketer with his state team KwaZulu-Natal was one of the biggest mistakes committed by him.

Saying that South Africa was his “first home and real home”, Pietersen, a Pietermaritzburg-born, has written, "One big mistake was not respecting South Africa and what it stands for. Not respecting South Africa and what the country gave me in terms of living there for 19 happy years ... I realise too that South Africa was my first home and my real home."

Alastair Cook – a company man and Andy Flower – a mood hover

On England Test and One Day International (ODI) captain Alastair Cook, the 34-year-old had this to say: "I know, though, that while Cooky is a nice man, he is also a company man. A safe pair of hands; he won't rock the boat."

On ex-England coach Andy Flower, one of whom he had a lot of differences with that ultimately led to him being sacked by the national selectors, he added: "Contagiously sour. Infectiously dour. He could walk into a room and suck all the joy out of it in five seconds. Just a Mood Hoover. That's how I came to think of him."

"He was just very lucky to have players who matured into great players. Anybody could have coached that side, like the great Australian side. Is John Buchanan a great coach? I've heard otherwise. My grandmother could have coached that Australia side. My son could have coached our side, two-three years ago."

Pietersen, who has represented England in 277 international matches scoring over 13,500 international runs, was made the scapegoat of England’s Ashes drubbing Down Under earlier this year. Although the right-hander is open to negotiations, England selectors maintain that he is a negative influence in the dressing room and hence wouldn’t be included back in the set-up.

He now plies his trade by playing Twenty20 cricket for a number of domestic teams including Delhi Daredevils, an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise.