"I don’t give a f**k what people say about me any more" - Dane Piedt on his refined attitude towards life and cricket

Veteran South African spinner Dane Piedt has learned not to care about what people say about him anymore, unlike before. The 34-year-old reckons that being off social media has massively helped since he previously used to respond to trolls.

The Cape Town-born cricketer, who made his Test debut in 2014, was part of the Proteas' depleted squad that suffered a 2-0 loss in New Zealand earlier this year. The off-spinner played in the second Test in Hamilton and picked up a fifer in the first innings and three scalps in the second, but the tourists lost the game.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Piedt stated:

"Basically, I don’t give a f**k what people say about me any more. Being off social media also helped. In the past, as a young cricketer, you feed into what those keyboard warriors said about you and how you should bowl."

With the conditions in the West Indies likely to aid spin more than pace, the 34-year-old is one of the two tweakers included in the squad with Keshav Maharaj for the upcoming Test series. The two-Test series will get underway on August 7.

"Having a young family gave me perspective" - Dane Piedt

Piedt claimed that his family's presence prompted him to set an example for his son moving forward instead of caring what others think of him. He elaborated:

"However, having a young family gave me perspective on what life is about, and trying to show my young boy that his dad actually achieved something in my life. Having [the family] in New Zealand, doing what I did … it all ties in with maturity, that creates the perspective, and not caring what people say about me. It’s given me a lot of joy in the phase of life I’m in.”

The veteran was also part of Washington Freedom's squad for the Major League Cricket (MLC) last year, but not for the current edition.