Kevin Pietersen joins England's white-ball coaching team
Former Ashes winner Kevin Pietersen, 46, joins England's white-ball coaching setup as a specialist mentor ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Kevin Pietersen, 46, joins England's white-ball coaching team as a specialist mentor
- His first assignment is the upcoming T20 and ODI series against Sri Lanka starting Sept 15
- The appointment aims to build experience ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa
English cricket has pulled off a major appointment by bringing back former Ashes-winning batter Kevin Pietersen into the national team fold as part of their white-ball coaching setup ahead of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Pietersen, 46, will begin his role as a specialist mentor starting with the upcoming T20 and one-day matches against Sri Lanka, with the first fixture commencing on September 15 in Southampton. This marks a remarkable return to the international setup for a figure effectively away from the team for 12 years.
Following the Sri Lanka series, his schedule includes winter tours to Australia and South Africa, followed by home series against Pakistan and New Zealand next summer, leading up to the 50-over World Cup hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
During his illustrious playing career, Pietersen established himself as one of England's greatest white-ball batters, named player of the tournament when England secured their first T20 World Cup title in 2010. He accumulated nearly 4,500 ODI runs at an average of 41.32 and holds the highest average for any batter hitting over 1,000 T20 runs for England.
"I am immensely proud to have been asked to help this team on their journey to win a World Cup in South Africa... Putting on the England uniform again for the first time since 2014 is a profound honour."
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Despite past controversies and well-documented clashes with former management over franchise leagues, Pietersen has spent his post-retirement years building a successful media career and mentoring players in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals.
This appointment highlights England's ongoing evolution in structuring their backroom staff under a split-coach model, following previous consultant roles filled by Andrew Flintoff and Kieron Pollard. Pietersen's deep familiarity with South African conditions and his explosive playing style could prove invaluable in mentoring modern batting talents like Harry Brook.
Source: BBC Sport
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment