By Chris Stocks
HE might not be a clone but Jason Roy is as close to being a replica of Kevin Pietersen as it is possible to be.
They share the same club (Surrey), land of birth (South Africa) and batting style (attacking and destructive). But the parallels between the do not stop there. Roy’s mannerisms, quietly spoken South African tone and attitude are eerily similar to Pietersen.
If that is an indication of the potential he has then it is a good sign for English cricket, given that Pietersen’s on-field achievements are unarguable. He scored more than 8,000 Test runs and 23 centuries yet the statistics do not do justice to his sheer energy and entertainment at the crease.
Despite Pietersen’s reputation for trouble which ended with him being sacked by England in February, Roy, who made his international debut in the one-off t20 against India at Edgbaston this month, embraces the theme.
“It’s a great comparison,” said the 24-year-old. “He’s an unbelievable player, ridiculous to watch, played copious amounts of games for England and any team he’s played for he’s given it his all. That’s pretty cool to be compared to him and it’s a great accolade.
“Some people say, ‘you’re like Kevin Pietersen’. It’s not a bad thing, it’s a very good thing because he’s a game-changer and a game winner.”
Roy’s development has not only been helped by Pietersen, ten years his senior, but also other high-profile stars who have come to Surrey.
Graeme Smith, whose spell as captain was ended by injury earlier this summer, Hashim Amla and Tillakaratne Dilshan have all made the Oval their home in recent years and Roy said: “It was an incredible dressing room to be in with KP and Graeme Smith.
“To speak to them with no fear because they’re in your dressing-room was amazing. It’s not like you’re seeing them on the street and it’s awkward, you’re in the same dressing room and you can have a chat, a beer with them.
“And when Graeme went we got Amla so that was even better. As a young batsman, the amount I’ve learned from those guys, even Dilshan when he came over as well, was awesome.
“They were all open to any enquiries, any questions, anything you wanted to know they’d let you know their opinion and it was interesting.”
For a player who started his life in South Africa, it’s no surprise his cricketing heroes hail from the same roots.
“I’ve never modelled my game on anyone, I have my own game. But players like KP, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers are always in your head.”
While Surrey have endured a difficult season as a club, Roy’s personal achievements have been spectacular. With 677 runs, he was the top run-scorer in this year’s T20 Blast, form which earned that England call-up.
But his County Championship form – averaging 52.10 this summer – is an indication of how much he has grown as a player.
It is a rate of progress which makes him a possibility for England’s World Cup squad early next year and Roy is keen to gain more honours on the international stage.
When talking about Surrey’s season, he is unenthusiastic – perhaps because we are speaking right after their final game of the year, a loss to Derbyshire at the Oval. But he lights up when asked about England.
“Playing for England was the highlight of my season,” he said. “It was a dream come true for me – the greatest feeling I’ve ever had and hopefully there’s more to come.”
It seems, like Pietersen, Roy is a player who loves the big stage. Despite a disappointing personal return on his international debut – he scored eight – the Durban-born batsman enjoyed the experience of rubbing shoulders with MS Dhoni as India’s captain ultimately failed to secure victory in a thrilling game England won by three runs.
“It was a real special game,” said Roy. “To have Dhoni in at the end there – someone I’ve grown up watching – explode to all parts was amazing and it was nice to put that shirt on and try my luck.
“It was special. I knew quite a few of the players already but I really enjoyed it.”
England’s next assignment is a seven-match ODI tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas which will act as a warm-up for the World Cup. Roy, while clearly believing he is ready, is philosophical about his chances of making that trip.
“I’ve just got to be patient and if it doesn’t happen I’ve got my own stuff to work on,” he said. “If I don’t make it it’s not the end of the world.”
On his season with Surrey, Roy puts his improvement in the four-day game down to hard work.
“I’m reasonably happy with the season, I’ve met a lot of the targets I’d wanted to meet,” he said. “Obviously there’s huge room for improvement but I’m happy with it.
“There’s no real secret to my form, I’ve just been a bit more heads on and training more specifically on skills instead of just training for the sake of it. I’ve been working hard and nailing each individual skill.”
There are positives, too, for Surrey, according to Roy, despite a season in which they failed to get back into Division One of the Championship after relegation last year.
“There’s a huge amount of positives,” said Roy. “We’ve got a young squad and a very talented squad at that. We just haven’t won key moments of key games, especially in the Championship. Hopefully next year we can come back a lot stronger, especially mentally.”
As for Roy himself, what does he want to achieve in the next year? “Work as hard as I can during the winter,” he said. “Get to where I want to be at the start of next summer, come out blazing and score some big runs for whatever teams I’m playing in.”
He may never reach the heights of Kevin Pietersen – who will? – but it is clear Roy is a player going places.
