Pietersen has made a shocking return to the England

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has made a shocking return to the England set-up as he has been named the 'specialist mentor' of the white-ball English side.

12 years after his international career came to a controversial end, Pietersen will be back in the England set-up as he joins Brendon McCullum's coaching staff, with his tenure beginning with the white-ball fixtures against Sri Lanka later in September.

"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 on taking the role. "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. 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."

Pietersen has previously worked with Delhi Capitals as the mentor in the Indian Premier League and was briefly associated with the Three Lions' batters in early 2023.

McCullum welcomed the move, stating that he is "excited" to have Pietersen in the role for the batters. "I've got immense respect for KP and what he's achieved in the game. He's had an amazing impact on English cricket, so for someone with his experience, knowledge and stature to want to play a role with this team is a fantastic result.

"I'm particularly excited for our batters to get the opportunity to work with him. KP 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," he added.

Pietersen was recently critical of England's environment under McCullum when the Three Lions came to India in early 2025. McCullum had called the criticism "factually incorrect".

Pietersen is regarded as one of the best batters for England, having played a vital role in the 2005 Ashes series win. He played 104 Test matches, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is, with his last international appearance coming in January 2014 during the away Ashes.