Kevin Pietersen returns to England cricket after 12 years as white-ball mentor

Kevin Pietersen has been appointed in England cricket as a white-ball mentor in the build-up to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

As per official announcement, Pietersen will join the team as a specialist mentor and start in the role for upcoming T20 and one-day matches against Sri Lanka.

He is also scheduled to take part in the upcoming winter tours of Australia and South Africa.

Afterwards, he will rejoin the squads for next summer's home series against Pakistan and New Zealand, as well as the 50-over World Cup, which takes place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia during the autumn. The coaching staff includes Marcus Trescothick, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, and Sarah Taylor.

Kevin Pietersen responded to his appointment, “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 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,” he added.

England’s white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum also praised Pietersen for his immense knowledge, experience and stature.

The 46-year-old is regarded as one of England’s greatest white-ball batters. He was also named player of the tournament during their 2010 T20 World Cup victory and holds the highest average for England batters over 1000 T20 runs.

His playing career ended amid friction with management, including being dropped in 2012 over text messages sent to opposing players and historical clashes over franchise leagues like the IPL.

Since retiring, he has worked as a commentator, content creator, and mentor for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.