Brendon McCullum instigated the extraordinary transfer to deliver arch critic Kevin Pietersen into England’s teaching set-up.
It has been regular apply over the previous decade for people with specialist native data to be recruited by the ECB on consultancy phrases forward of main excursions or world tournaments abroad, however the engagement of Pietersen carries further shock worth, coming because it does so quickly after he lambasted McCullum’s white-ball regime.
Nevertheless, Day by day Mail Sport understands it was McCullum who proposed the function to Pietersen earlier this summer time, across the time the New Zealander was relieved of his Take a look at teaching tasks.
Within the official press launch, McCullum, 44, mentioned he had ‘immense respect’ for former England captain Pietersen, who will be a part of up for twin white-ball sequence in opposition to Sri Lanka beginning subsequent week and can stay across the setting till subsequent 12 months’s World Cup in southern Africa.
However he additionally clearly holds no grudges, after Pietersen’s scathing evaluation of England’s preparation, or lack of it, on a limited-overs tour of India 18 months in the past.
In his function as a broadcaster throughout that tour, he accused England of a slack strategy to pre-match apply.
Kevin Pietersen has been appointed as a mentor to England’s white-ball sides regardless of being a vocal critic of Brendon McCullum’s set-up previously
The truth is it was McCullum (proper) who instigated the appointment of his former critic
McCullum hit again, saying it was ‘factually incorrect’ of Pietersen and fellow commentator Ravi Shastri to say England had not completed sufficient coaching throughout a tour which resulted in two crushing sequence defeats.
It was true, nevertheless, that in making an attempt to strike a stability between the depth of a tour of India and a want to not permit it to turn into all consuming, England had not netted forward of the second and third one-day internationals.
One supply near McCullum mentioned on Monday that opposite to a public picture of being cussed, he covets sturdy opinions throughout the dressing room tradition he creates and views Pietersen as somebody who will naturally enhance vitality ranges.
Pietersen has by no means been shy of talking his thoughts, in fact. Or rubbing folks up the mistaken manner within the course of.
And despite the fact that he has softened since being sacked by England 12 years in the past, briefly returning to do some teaching on the white-ball tour of South Africa three years in the past, he was important of Harry Brook in swerving an Indian Premier League deal in 2025 that might have seen the pair work collectively at Delhi Capitals.
In an interview with ESPN final 12 months, he mentioned: ‘I instructed him. I used to be like, “Dude, I am gutted that I can not work with you for a couple of months”. I feel that he’s a star… You do not hit one ball over further cowl and the subsequent, identical ball, over midwicket if you cannot play.
‘So he can correctly play, however he has technical flaws within the subcontinent – in India, specifically. I actually wished to work with him, however folks make their very own selections in life and you have to respect them. He has a flaw taking part in spin in India – an actual large flaw. Two months right here, think about what may need occurred if he had mounted that?
‘I’d’ve labored the identical with him as I did with (Joe) Root and (Jonny) Bairstow at the beginning of their careers. Root turned out to be the best participant of spin England’s ever had. I am not saying it is due to what we did when he was a teen, however we spent hours collectively batting within the nets, going by way of drills and practising. I like that stuff.’
Pietersen (pictured celebrating victory within the 2013 Ashes) is considered one of England’s most interesting ever batsmen
An explosive hitter in his taking part in days, he might be working with England’s white-ball sides for 15 months
Intriguingly, Day by day Mail Sport can reveal Pietersen has been pursuing England’s largest stars this summer time, as but to no avail – eager for them to look on episodes of his YouTube channel The Change, which options challenges and interviews with main gamers from all over the world.
Now, he’ll don an England tracksuit and hook up with a facet in Southampton subsequent week who briefly reached No1 on this planet T20 rankings this 12 months, mentoring a bunch together with many who idolised his flamboyant type as children. Against this, England lie down in seventh within the ODI rankings.
As a part of a consultancy set to run 15 months, Pietersen, 46, may even be concerned on the excursions to Australia and South Africa this winter after which return subsequent summer time for sequence in opposition to Pakistan and New Zealand, which can finalise preparations for the 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia subsequent autumn.
‘Placing on the England uniform once more for the primary time since 2014 is a profound honour and a deeply particular second,’ mentioned Pietersen, whose 277-cap worldwide profession included being named man of the event through the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup win within the Caribbean.
‘We’ve got an extremely gifted white-ball squad, and I’m excited to get within the trenches and work relentlessly laborious with these gamers to maximise their potential.
‘To be part of Brendon’s assume tank over the subsequent 12 months is a incredible alternative, and I can not wait to get began.’
Though McCullum planted the seed on this one, South African-raised Pietersen’s recruitment is the most recent ‘specialist’ signed up throughout Rob Key’s tenure as director of England males’s cricket: Mike Hussey was a part of the help workers through the Twenty20 World Cup triumph in Australia in 2022 whereas Kieron Pollard took up an identical place within the 2024 occasion within the Caribbean, which resulted in a semi-final exit.
Way back to 11 years in the past, England turned to Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene to assist them perceive the challenges of taking part in on the pitches of Asia.
Pietersen labored with Joe Root on his batting in opposition to spin within the subcontinent early in his profession
Of Pietersen, McCullum added: ‘I’m notably excited for our batters to get the chance to work with him. KP has a singular understanding of what it takes to carry out on the highest degree, which might be massively useful to our gamers.’
His appointment comes scorching on the heels of one other high-profile former England participant, Andrew Flintoff, leaving his function as England Lions coach.
Flintoff has been changed for this week’s Lions fixtures in opposition to the touring Sri Lankans by one other multi-Ashes winner Jonathan Trott.
Ravi Bopara and Graeme Swann are additionally within the teaching set-up whereas the 20-strong taking part in squad consists of half a dozen full internationals, together with Tom Banton and Jamie Overton.
