England have appointed former batter and ICC Hall of Famer Kevin Pietersen as a specialist mentor to their white-ball teams ahead of the 2027 Cricket World Cup, the Daily Mirror reported.
Pietersen will join Brendon McCullum’s setup ahead of England’s upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka — putting the Sri Lanka fixtures first in his tenure.
A first role since 2014
Pietersen played his last international match for England in 2014. The appointment is his first formal role with the national team since.
The South Africa-born batter scored 4,440 ODI runs and 1,176 T20I runs for England and was part of the side that won the 2010 T20 World Cup.
“I am immensely proud to have been asked to help this team on their journey to win a World Cup in South Africa,” Pietersen said.
McCullum welcomed the appointment, pointing to Pietersen’s experience and the impact he could have on England’s batters.
Beyond the Sri Lanka series
Pietersen is also to work with England on their tours of Australia and South Africa, before returning for next summer’s home series and the 2027 World Cup, which is to be held in South Africa — the country of his birth.
What it means for Sri Lanka
For Sri Lanka, the practical effect is that the T20 and one-day matches will be England’s first outing with a new voice in the batting group, and the first chance for Sri Lanka’s bowlers to test a side still settling its white-ball plans two years out from a World Cup.
Not reported
The Daily Mirror does not give the dates or venues of the Sri Lanka white-ball series, the length or terms of Pietersen’s contract, or whether the role is full-time or series-by-series. It does not say whether the England and Wales Cricket Board has named any other additions to McCullum’s staff, and carries no comment from Sri Lanka Cricket. No other verified newsroom had carried the appointment at the time of writing.
