Ashes 2023: Graeme Swann Reveals Details About His Spat With Former Teammate Kevin Pietersen
Published - 23 Apr 2023, 01:45 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM
Former England National Cricket Team bowler Graeme Swann recalled his relationship with former teammate Kevin Pietersen, claiming that the two “never liked each other”.
Swann was a prime spinner in the English national side at a time when there weren’t many of his kind in the squad. Despite making his international debut as early as 2000, he blossomed into a world-class bowler in the late 2000s, and early 2010s, before retiring in 2013.
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Kevin Pietersen too was a crucial member of the national side around the same time. Some can argue that he was the team’s best batter in his time. Despite that, the South Africa-born batter found it difficult to gel with his teammate. This might be due to how outspoken he was in the media about his teammates and team management.
In 2012, when South Africa toured England, Pietersen was caught sending texts to South African players, where he criticized his teammate Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower. He was even advising Morne Morkel on how to get several English batters out.
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Although no one could provide concrete proof that it happened as no one could click the pictures of those messages, Graeme Swann discussed how the team management organized a conflict resolution workshop, where all teammates discussed their issues with Kevin Pietersen.
“He (Kevin) was there, Alastair Cook was there and Andy Flower, I went both barrels because I thought I f–king can’t believe I’ve got to this on my day off and Kev was very defensive and said ‘I had to fly back from South Africa for this’, well it is your f–king fault Kevin. I felt I could because me and Kev never liked each other anyway, a lot of other people either like him a bit or got on with him but me and Kev always hated each other,” he told.
Ian Bishop trolls Kevin Pietersen on commentary in IPL 2023
Commentator Ian Bishop trolled his fellow commentator Kevin Pietersen over the latter’s record as an IPL captain.
Delhi Capitals (DC) won their first match in IPL 2023, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This came after DC lost their first five matches this year.
During the match, Bishop told audiences that DC had never had a worse start to a season since 2013 when they lost their first 5 matches too. The discussion then turned to Delhi’s 2014 season, when Pietersen was the team captain and they lost 12 out of 14 of their matches.
“Only the second time that Delhi Capitals have lost their first five games of their season. It last happened back in 2013 (laughs). Kevin Pietersen has just put his hand in the air and said he was the captain back then (in 2014). That’s not my intimation,” said Bishop live on commentary.
Kevin Pietersen did claim responsibility for the team’s last-place finish that season, wishing the same does not happen to David Warner’s Delhi Capitals this season.
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