Kevin Pietersen outlines England mentoring role and talks with Stephen Fleming

Kevin Pietersen has outlined how he intends to help England’s batters after returning to the national setup as a specialist mentor, telling the media at Headingley that he has also spoken with Test coach Stephen Fleming. According to BBC Sport, his current remit is to work intermittently with the white-ball teams through to the 50-over World Cup next autumn.

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The return brings Pietersen back into an England and Wales Cricket Board role after his acrimonious dismissal in 2014 ended his international career. Now 46 and living in South Africa, he said that period was behind him. He described his purpose as supporting Brendon McCullum and helping players develop, rather than pursuing the England coaching job himself.

Pietersen also acknowledged that his assessment of the team had changed since joining the dressing room. While commentating during England’s white-ball tour of India last year, he had questioned whether the players were training enough. Speaking about his experience inside the setup, he now described a highly motivated group, although he declined to elaborate when pressed further on his earlier perceptions.

His work has already included a batting drill on rotating the strike against spin. BBC Sport reported that England shared footage before the first one-day international in Durham showing Joe Root and Rehan Ahmed taking part in a session led by Pietersen. He said he wanted players to feel comfortable approaching him for advice and hoped his own experiences could help them avoid difficulties he had encountered.

Harry Brook is one player Pietersen believes he can assist with managing different situations at the crease. Responding to comparisons between their batting, he explained that his own aggressive approach had rested on considerable preparation and structure. He still retains notes on his phone covering techniques and shot selection across formats, and identified that planning as an area in which he could support Brook.

Pietersen said his conversations with Fleming had covered helping Test batters while they are with the white-ball squads. He did not commit to a separate Test assignment, but indicated he would consider contributing before next summer’s home Ashes. His schedule rules out a full-time position, he said, while stressing that useful discussions with players need not require him to be in the dressing room.