Watch: Kevin Pietersen shares his views about the Nagpur pitch

Watch: Kevin Pietersen shares his views about the Nagpur pitch: Kevin Pietersen has shared his views about the Nagpur pitch for the 3rd Test between India and South Africa and shed some light on the history of home ground advantage in cricket. KP, one of the most attacking batsmen to have played the game, was a part of England’s series winning team against the home side India in the year 2012. His marvelous 186 in the 2nd Test was instrumental in England winning the match and also proved a turning point in the series for the visitors. Widely and justifiably considered the greatest knock by an Englishman in the sub-continent, KP knows a thing or two about spin having countered the 3 classy Indian spinners in that match.

He starts by highlighting the animosity and negativity surrounding the Nagpur pitch. Former players have been at loggerheads over the surface and there was a Twitter battle going on since a few days now. KP mentions that home ground advantage has always been a part of cricket. He adds that when a team travels to the sub-continent it is a well-known fact that ball is going to spin, stay low and the batsmen have to counter this.

England has green seaming pitches while South Africa and Australia have bouncy surfaces. He again reiterates that home ground advantage is something that is always going to be a part of the game. Although the Nagpur pitch had prodigious turn from day one, India saw its best chance to beat the Proteas is on such turning tracks.

Pietersen admits that when England beat India 4-0 and dethroned the visitors from the top of the ICC rankings, the home side prepared the greenest of pitches. He states that none of the Indian greats complained at that time and when England toured India they beat the home side overcoming the challenges of spin. He asserts that the greatest satisfaction a cricketer can get is when he knows that he has scored runs in all conditions.

Watch via (BreatheSport)