Pietersen eager to learn from his hero

14 April 2012

Kevin Pietersen has revealed that Shane Warne will be his mentor and adviser this season even though the pair are set to line up on opposite sides when the Ashes begin.

Warne will spend the first three months of the season captaining Hampshire, who Pietersen joined from Nottinghamshire over the winter. England's new batting star, whose extraordinary one-day performances in South Africa have put him in line for a first Test cap, says the champion leg spinner can help him cope with the pressures of fame.

"He has been there, done it - the stuff I'm going through now where everyone wants a piece of you," explained Pietersen. "Warne has it all day, every day. He is a great man to talk to and I am sure I can learn a hell of a lot from him.

"From what I have seen already, he is a great motivator and enthusiast and the other players are lifted by his mere presence. Who would not be?"

Pietersen says Warne was a major factor in his decision to move to the Rose Bowl and they have been in constant touch during the winter by text.

They live near each other on Southampton's seafront and already there are signs of a blossomingfriendship. They have adopted matching cockatoo hairstyles and watched the climax of the Masters golf late into the night soon after Warne's arrival at the weekend.

"He has been so friendly," said Pietersen. "He is very open for a chat and a nice likeable bloke who people probably take advantage of because of how nice he is."

Warne and Pietersen are set to be in further close proximity over the opening weeks of the season as the Australian has ordered his new team-mate to stand alongside him in the slips for Hampshire.

The 24-year-old believes he can only benefit from playing alongside the master spinner, who has been named in his fourth Ashes tour of England this summer, and claims he is not worried about Warne picking holes in his game.

"It is a positive that I will be playing with him. Cricket's an international game. Everybody saw how I batted in South Africa. They can pick up a lot more on TV than just being sat in the dressing room.

"I can learn from him and pick his brain. Hopefully when I play against him in the summer we will play hard, professional cricket. I don't think I will be smiling at him in an Ashes Test."

Warne joked: "I am only going to bowl wrong 'uns to him in the nets so he does not get to see my full range of deliveries. But I think he is an exciting young cricketer with a good head on his shoulders and with the right, attacking attitude."

Pietersen has learned to be cautious despite the incredible start to his international career (he averages 139 from 11 one-day internationals) against a background of hostility from South Africans labelling him a traitor.

However, Pietersen knows the injury to Andrew Flintoff, who is not likely to be risked in the two Bangladesh Tests, could give him a chance to nail down a place in the Test team.

"I think if Flintoff is not fit then hopefully I will get a go against Bangladesh," he said. "If I go well there and go well in the onedayers, I will get a go [against Australia]."

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Pietersen eager to learn from his hero

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