File photo of Kevin Pietersen© AFP
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has been named a specialist mentor to help England’s men white-ball team succeed at next years’ World Cup in southern Africa, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Monday. Pietersen will join up with England men’s white ball head coach Brendon McCullum for September’s IT20 ODI series against Sri Lanka and will go on the team’s white-ball tours to Australia and South Africa in the winter, home series against Pakistan and New Zealand in the summer and the 50-over World Cup co-organized by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia Oct. 4 – Nov 21.
“Putting on the England uniform again for the first time since 2014 is a profound honor and a deeply special moment,” Pietersen said.
“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 maximize their potential. To be a part of Brendon’s think tank over the next 12 months is a fantastic opportunity, and I cannot wait to get started.”
McCullum welcomed the move.
“I’m particularly excited for our batters to get the opportunity to work with him,” he said. “(He) has a unique understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level, which will be hugely valuable to our players. We’ve always respected each other and had a strong appreciation for what the other brings to the game, so I’m really looking forward to working together.”
Pietersen scored more than 5,500 runs for England in 136 ODIs and 37 T20 matches. In his 104 test matches, he scored 8,181 runs.
He was dismissed from the England team after an embarrassing 5-0 loss at the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia.
Pietersen was a mentor for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League last year.
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