The former England cricketer was recently in the city for all things cricket and lifestyle. In an exclusive chat with mid-day, he spoke about not only cricket but also food, conservation and leading a healthy life
Kevin Pietersen was recently in Mumbai and spoke about his food habits, conservation efforts and more. Photo Courtesy: File pic
Former England cricketer and captain Kevin Pietersen absolutely loves India and more so Mumbai. In fact, this time when he was in the country for the India-England series, he spent a lot of time travelling around the country not only for his matches, but also with his family. “Everybody knows how much I love India; everybody knows how much I love Mumbai and its people. This city has got such a vibe. It is a 24-hour city. It is a busy city. It is one of the best cities in the world.”
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In the city to launch Dram Bell scotch whiskey, Pietersen is not only the marquee investor but also the brand ambassador for the whiskey, which is the latest addition to the luxury Blended Scotch Whisky segment; it is bottled in Scotland and available in two variants - premium and reserve. While talking about his food habits, he doesn’t mince words when he talks about how he likes to eat and drink. “I don’t pair food with drinks. I am not one of those guys. I like to eat my food and drink afterwards,” adds the former cricket-turned-commentator and cricket expert, who adds that the whiskey is a smooth drink that was easy to consume. Even as he finds time to indulge in the luxuries of life, Pietersen reveals he is extremely disciplined in what he eats. “I am not very adventurous. I am more of a hermit. I just like to be in my room on my phone and iPad working. I am very strict with my diet. I have to train every day. I have to get 8-9 hours sleep every night. I am boring and very strict.”
Interestingly, not many except hardcore cricket enthusiasts may know that Pietersen, who represented England, actually has roots in South Africa, as he was born then. Interestingly, even though he moved to the United Kingdom, his heart is in both places. “South Africa is home because that is where I was born and brought up but the home for my children is the UK because that is where they were born and brought up. We get enough time to spend between South Africa and England. It is not really an issue anymore. Geography is history as they say. It is easy because if I want to go to South Africa today, I’ll just go. It is very easy to get there.”
Even as he is juggling his life between travelling for cricket and his family life, the former English cricketer also finds time to make a difference in every way he can to do good by protecting animals in South Africa. “I am trying to protect the rhino in South Africa through my social enterprise SORAI (Save Our Rhinos in Africa and India) and we do a lot of great work through our foundation. We put many thousands of children through school every year, supply technology, look after animals and people. I believe in building a human fence and not a fence with electricity or wire, that can collectively save animals.”
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