After enduring what he admits was a "horrible" 2022 that culminated in him being dropped for England's T20 World Cup winning campaign, Jason Roy was back to his best as he smashed a sparkling ton in his first international innings of 2023.
Roy struck 113 off 91 balls as England fell to a 27-run defeat to South Africa and the 32-year-old looked every inch the player who proved so crucial to England's 2019 50-over World Cup.
On the eve of the first ODI in Bloemfontein, Kevin Pietersen was invited to chat to the squad and he spent a long time with Roy, who he was something of a mentor to when the pair were teammates at Surrey.
"We spoke about being free, not worrying about the outcome, just playing my game," Roy said of his chat with Pietersen. "The top of my game is better than what a lot of bowlers can do to me so it was a case of just being positive and – not quite pushing the 'f--- it button' – but the openness to go out and be myself.
"The big thing for me the night before the game was to go out on my own terms. Do I want to be remembered as a guy who had a great career, smacked it everywhere, then all of a sudden had a year of crap, and is a completely different player?
"Do I want to be remembered as a guy who went out there and attacked the bowlers? Fair enough I got out, but I got out on my terms."
Reflecting on being dropped for the T20 World Cup, Roy added: "I was gutted, extremely gutted. But honestly I was so proud of that group, I've been part of that group for such a long time.
"To see them win that World Cup was incredible. Being where I was mentally, and the lads tearing it apart, that wasn't easy at first, but then you realise that that was me once upon a time, and the journey they are embarking on is incredibly special.
"The initial feeling was 'oh, s***, these guys are overtaking me'. But then it's 'pull your head in. You've had a great career, you are playing well, if it stops tomorrow, I have had a load of fun'."
