Kevin Pietersen has joined England’s white-ball coaching team as a “specialist mentor” in the build-up to next year’s World Cup, 12 years on from the controversial end to his international career.
The former England captain will be part of Brendon McCullum’s coaching group for the upcoming T20 and one-day international series at home to Sri Lanka later this month, as well as subsequent series.
Among his assignments will include a white-ball tour of Australia later this year.
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The 50-over World Cup is being held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 2027.
Pietersen, 46, played 136 ODIs and 37 T20 matches for England, scoring more than 5,500 runs. He also scored 8,181 runs in his 104 Test matches.
“I am immensely proud to have been asked to help this team on their journey to win a World Cup in South Africa,” he said.
Kevin Pietersen will return to the English fold as a white-ball consultant. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)Source: AP
“Putting on the England uniform again for the first time since 2014 is a profound honour and a deeply special moment. We have an incredibly talented white-ball squad, and I am excited to get in the trenches and work relentlessly hard with these players to maximise their potential.”
Pietersen has worked as a mentor for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
“I’ve got immense respect for KP and what he’s achieved in the game,” England white-ball head coach McCullum said.
“He’s had an amazing impact on English cricket, so for someone with his experience, knowledge and stature to want to play a role with this team is a fantastic result.”
Kevin Pietersen shares a laugh with England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum. (Photo by Gareth Copley – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Pietersen’s coaching nod ends a 12-year exile from England’s cricket set-up, after his international career ended in tumultuous circumstances after the disastrous 2013/14 tour of Australia.
Following the 5-0 defeat, the veteran, despite being one of the team’s top performers, was sacked.
He went on to dominate at county and T20 franchise level over the next 18 months to emerge as a candidate for a recall during the 2015 Ashes.
However, then-director of cricket and former teammate Andrew Strauss emphatically closed the door on a return, saying a “massive trust issue” remained.
Strauss also revealed that Pietersen had rejected an offered advisory role to the white-ball team similar to his new position.
Regarded as one of the most destructive batters of his era, Pietersen hit 4422 runs at over 41 during a nine-year ODI career, while he made 5695 T20 runs at 33.89, including three centuries.
His T20 career included a lengthy stint in the Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars from 2014 to 2018, where he scored ten 50s in 33 innings.
Following retirement, Pietersen has worked as a commentator for Sky Sports’ cricket coverage in England, as well as at major tournaments and for T20 leagues around the world.