'It's really going to benefit us': Joe Root weighs in as Kevin Pietersen returns to England setup

Joe Root is relishing the prospect of working with Kevin Pietersen again, this time with his former England teammate returning to the setup as a specialist mentor for the white-ball teams.Root and Pietersen shared the dressing room during the early stages of the former’s international career, with the current England Test captain admitting that he closely followed Pietersen during his formative years. Root believes that experience could now prove valuable to England in a coaching role.Root recalls Pietersen’s influenceRoot revealed that he often tried to learn from Pietersen during England’s tour of India in 2012-13, particularly when it came to handling spin.“I am probably the last player to have played with him still going, I really enjoyed him as a senior player coming into the team. He was someone that I would be shadowing all the time. That first Tour of India in particular, I tried to buddy up with him in the nets, watch how he practised, watch how he did things, ask him for advice and he was really open, really honest, very helpful in terms of how to get the best out of my game against spin, ” Root told reporters ahead of the third Test against Pakistan.Root feels Pietersen can now offer the same kind of guidance from the coaching side.“If he can offer that kind of stuff in a coaching capacity as he did as a senior player then I think it's really going to benefit us as a group,” he said.Pietersen’s experience could boost EnglandRoot believes Pietersen’s personality and willingness to offer an honest assessment could make him a valuable addition as England build towards next year’s 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.“I think you want people to give their honest opinion, why would you get him involved if you didn't want him to tell you what you think and to give his insight into the game?” Root said.England eye series advantage in third TestEngland will now turn their attention to the third Test against Pakistan, with the visitors looking to avoid white-wash in the series. Root will be central to England’s plans as they look to produce another strong performance in the longest format.Pakistan, meanwhile, will be aiming to respond strongly and keep the contest alive. With the series finely poised, both sides will be looking for their key batters and bowlers to deliver when the third Test gets underway.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.