Reticent KP wary of what pitch has to offer

Was he angry with himself after wasting his wicket at 73? Was it the simmering discord with the pressmen from his country after those reports and revelations about tweets, texts and contemplation to walk away from English cricket?

We may never know the real reason, but Kevin Pietersen looked a restless man in the post first-day press conference. The normal eloquence was replaced with reticence and thoughtfulness.

A question about the pitch elicited an answer as sluggish as the surface itself. “It’s toughest wicket I have played Test cricket on in terms of scoring runs. I don’t have a clue what the pitch will do later.”

So, are you satisfied with the way you tackled a slow pitch? Rhetoric would have followed on a different day. But this day was different. “I think I have answered that. I think we are in an okay position. The pitch… goodness it’s slow.”

There was an effort to get a decent response from him, asking about Joe Root, who had a good first day at office on his Test debut. “He’s a lovely man, good little player. He’s a good human being.” That’s all he came up with.

Then there was a question about the worthiness of playing cricket on such surfaces. Here goes what KP had to offer. “When you are tourists, Indians think that’s the kind of wicket they have to prepare to take the series back. As for viewers, I don’t think they will have any interest in what I have to say as they must have switched off 4-5 hours ago!.” A little laugh accompanied that part of the answer.

Just when he seemed to open a little, came the query about the mood of Stuart Broad, who will be traveling back home after suffering a heel injury. Those who know the uncomfortable history between the two players will get the point of that question.

“I am not sure. I haven’t spoken to him in the last few days. We have been all concentrating on this Test match.” Deadest bat. Fortunately, on the field his bat has been much more talkative.