03 February 2023 , 16:17
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Kevin Pietersen says he would be "very happy" to help out with England's white-ball side after captain Jos Buttler invited him to speak to the squad ahead of their ODI series against South Africa.
Pietersen was commentating on the series for host broadcaster SuperSport and joined England as they held a net session in Bloemfontein, the scene of his first international century back in 2005.
"It was very informal, a few conversations with some individuals about batting and a chance just to be around the guys in case they wanted a chat with an outsider about anything," Pietersen said in his latest column for Betway. "It was brilliant to get an outsider's perspective on the culture and how they've transformed the shortest form of the game.
"The one thing that stood out to me is how supportive they all are of each other. That was an alien concept when I was involved, when everybody was just doing what they did for themselves. It's so refreshing.
"There were a couple of players under pressure, particularly Jason Roy, but you can see the heartfelt encouragement that each member of the squad and the whole setup was giving him. The camaraderie in the camp is magnificent to see and it massively helps their performance, too, because there's no fear of failure holding them back.
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"If someone's on a bad trot, they have all the love and support and time to turn things around. I loved it, and it helped me understand how they've become a team that everybody fears.
Pietersen had a long chat with Jason Roy, having been a mentor to him when they were teammates at Surrey (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)"I said to Jos and Matthew Mott afterwards that if they want me to be around the team in future, I'll be there. If it happens again, it happens again. All good by me. It's a lovely environment to be around and I'm very happy to help out again if I'm asked."
Pietersen notably spent a long time chatting with Roy, who he was something of a mentor to when they were teammates at Surrey, with the opener crediting their exchange with helping him find some much-needed form as he struck a brilliant hundred in the first ODI.
"Sometimes an outsider telling you how good you are can help," Pietersen added of his chat with Roy. "You can sometimes get so consumed in everything that's happening in your little space that you need a reality check.
Roy went on to score a brilliant hundred in the first ODI and credited his chat with Pietersen for helping him rediscover his form (MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)"You need reminding that, hey, you're damn good. There's nothing actually wrong. That's what I told him, that he looks fantastic in the nets.
"Hopefully that helped him not chase the end result, which can always hold players back. If you go out too desperate to score, and worried about reaching milestones, you forget to actually do what you do well.
"He was spectacular in that first ODI, it was vintage Jason Roy. I know he's frustrated by missing out in the next two matches because you want to cash in on good form, but he's proved what a good player he is and why he's still a big part of England's plans."
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