Joe Root welcomes Pietersen’s mentor role (Image: ICC)
Root Sees Coaching Potential in Pietersen’s Experience
Joe Root, the current England Test captain, has expressed his belief that Kevin Pietersen’s experience could be beneficial to the England team in a coaching capacity. Root and Pietersen were teammates during the early part of Root’s international career, and Root has acknowledged that he closely followed Pietersen’s development as a player. This connection may provide valuable insights for the England squad moving forward.
Root believes Pietersen’s personality and willingness to offer an honest assessment could make him a valuable addition as England build towards next year’s 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
That first Tour of India in particular, I tried to buddy up with him in the nets, watch how he practised, watch how he did things, ask him for advice and he was really open, really honest, very helpful in terms of how to get the best out of my game against spin, ” Root told reporters ahead of the third Test against Pakistan. “If he can offer that kind of stuff in a coaching capacity as he did as a senior player then I think it’s really going to benefit us as a group,” he said. Root said.
“I am probably the last player to have played with him still going, I really enjoyed him as a senior player coming into the team. He was someone that I would be shadowing all the time. Root feels Pietersen can now offer the same kind of guidance from the coaching side. “I think you want people to give their honest opinion, why would you get him involved if you didn’t want him to tell you what you think and to give his insight into the game?