Trusted my defense more in Mumbai than Ahmedabad: Kevin Pietersen

England's batting star Kevin Pietersen today said the difference between the first Test in Ahmedabad, where he flopped, and the second at the Wankhede Stadium here, which was witness to his monumental knock of 186, was his outlook towards defence.

"I wasn't playing well at all in Ahmedabad. I didn't trust my defence as much as I have trusted my defense coming into this Test match. As a batter, if you don't trust your defence as much, you try too many things.

"You try and force the issue. So I went and did a lot of hard work as I always do and luckily it paid off," said Pietersen who helped England amass 413 in reply to the hosts' 327.

"I like to keep things simple. I didn't trust my defence, I just didn't go into that fixture with the right defence. I don't think the preparation leading into the Test match, tested my defence enough," he said, adding, "It is just about doing things simple. Doing the basics right, trusting your defence, and I did that in this innings."

Pietersen said his 22nd century that has brought him level with Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey, Geoff Boycott and skipper Alastair Cook, would be more cherished if the team wins tomorrow.

"It (Century) would mean a lot more if we win tomorrow. With Cookie, going to number 22 (first), which nobody has gone past. He said to me, when he got five to go, you are there as well. It was a special moment. Chef (Cook) was magnificent and it was good to be on top of the list with Chef," he said.

He described the Wankhede wicket, on which 15 wickets fell during the third day, as a difficult one.

"It was a pretty difficult wicket. You knew at some stage, a ball will get your name on it. To get some runs was satisfying," he remarked.

... contd.

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