There was no love lost between him and Kevin Pietersen during their playing days but when it came to winning games of cricket for England, they forgot their personal dislike for each other, said the former England off-spinner Graeme Swann.

“We are a team that got to No.1 in the world, and in a team there are always going to be individuals.

“Ninety-nine per cent of that side were all in it for the team,” Swann said in a podcast called In the Pink.

One of the best England batsman, Pietersen was a controversial figure in the team. He had a brief stint as England captain in 2008 when he led the team in three Tests and 10 ODIs.

But he had to step down after an ugly spat with then coach Peter Moores.

Graeme Swann (Twitter/@Swannyg66)

Swann, who grabbed 255 wickets in 60 Test matches, said despite his differences, he shared Pietersen’s lack of respect for authority and wanted him in the team for his batting prowess.

“With Kevin Pietersen, we had a situation where he had been captain before and didn’t much like establishment and rules,” said Swann, who had announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket during a 0-5 defeat in Australia in 2013.

“We were actually very similar in that way, and we actually got along professionally better than most people because we were very honest,” he said.

“We openly disliked each other, but wanted each other in the team.”

Pietersen, who was axed from the national side after England’s Ashes defeat in Australia in 2013-14, had stirred up a controversy when he had sent a series of notorious text messages, criticising then skipper Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower, to some of the South Africa players during the Headingley Test in 2012.