Kev was forward of his time with each his mindset and expertise. The inventor of the swap hit, and probably the most ardent supporter of the IPL earlier than it grew to become mainstream.
The flamingo flicks by means of mid-wicket in Check matches and hitting Glenn McGrath again over his head for six at Lord’s in 2005.
None of which might look misplaced now in 2026.
However, he by no means thought he’d cracked the sport.
In 2012 once we had been in Sri Lanka, I bear in mind turning up for coaching on the SSC in Colombo to play a warm-up recreation and Kev had already been there for an hour going through native left-arm spin bowlers as a way to attempt to appropriate his method (ironically overseen by Andy Flower) that had been an issue for him intermittently.
On account of that onerous work he scored the most remarkable 151 towards Rangana Herath within the second Check, hitting him to all components, and backed it up later that yr towards India away to seal a historic red-ball series victory the place his runs, significantly in Mumbai, shaped the bedrock of the win.
These runs and the way with which they had been scored, would not have been doable with out these lengthy follow periods whereas folks weren’t watching.
It wasn’t nearly him enhancing too. In Perth throughout the 2013-14 Ashes, when Mitchell Johnson and his moustache had been working amok, it would not be misplaced to see a tailender trying shellshocked on the prospect of getting to go and face him within the nook of the dressing room.
I vividly bear in mind KP coming over to me (though I wasn’t within the beginning XI), and saying ‘let’s go follow going through the quick ball within the nets’. He threw bouncers at my head and helped me determine a way to have the ability to play (primarily evade) the short-pitched bowling.
I do not know whether or not at that stage of the tour he simply wished to be out of the dressing room quite than in it, nevertheless it helped me.
I can see him doing related issues with gamers he sees areas of enchancment with in his position as mentor.
