Kevin Pietersen hints at potential 2027 Ashes role after shock return to England setup

Kevin Pietersen believes his shock return to the fold can help England deal with “the good, the bad and the ugly” of international cricket – and has hinted he could have a role to play in next year’s Ashes.

Pietersen’s rollercoaster England career ended on a sour note in 2014 and he spent more than a decade almost entirely detached from a side he represented 277 times across all formats.

His most notable intervention in recent times came during last year’s tour of India, when he was a vocal critic of the team’s training schedule and professionalism.

But an unexpected call from limited-overs head coach Brendon McCullum led to a new mentoring role that gives him an important voice in shaping England’s push for World Cup glory in his native South Africa next winter.

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‘I thought I was in trouble’

And working with the squad during the ongoing series against Sri Lanka has already seen him re-evaluate his previous concerns.

Recalling his first conversation with McCullum, he said: “I thought I was in trouble. What have I done now? Why is he calling me?

“We talked about how critical I had been of the setup.

“It took a couple of weeks of conversations with him to be able to convince me that it was something that I wanted to do because the perception wasn’t actually the reality that I now know, about what is in that dressing room. These guys are really, really driven.

“It’s amazing to be back in an England dressing room and it’s amazing to be back with these guys.

“They are very, very eager to learn. They want to be the best versions of themselves.”

Lend a hand

And Pietersen, long retired and seemingly beyond the personality clashes that punctuated his illustrious playing days, is ready to lend a hand.

“I’m 46, man. That stuff’s so long gone. I’m a completely different person too,” he said.

“I’ve been lucky to have worn every t-shirt an England cricketer can wear; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

“There are parts to all of their careers, which I think that I could potentially help them to stay away from the ugly.

“I’m in the two ears, one mouth phase. I listen twice as much as I talk.

“I’ve seen a lot, I’ve done a lot, and I want to be the best guy in the room for these guys,

“(McCullum) loves being challenged on different opinions. Whether he uses it or not, that’s up to him.

“He is the head coach. I’m not sitting here wanting to be the coach of England. He’s the coach of England.

“If I can help him, in his journey, in his pursuit, in our pursuit, to be competitive next year then it’s a win.”

‘I wouldn’t say no’

Pietersen stressed that his post is not full-time – his availability dictated by existing personal and professional commitments, including his YouTube channel – but did suggest he could be tempted to extend his reach from white to red ball.

Having made his name in the unforgettable Ashes summer of 2005 and bowed out after a painful 5-0 whitewash Down Under nine years later, he has not ruled out the prospect of helping new Test coach Stephen Fleming tune up for next year’s marquee series.

“I’ve got a pretty mad schedule, (but) I wouldn’t say no,” he added.

“I have had a conversation with Stephen, but I don’t think that necessarily means that I need to be in a dressing room.

“There’s a lot of time in the lead up to an Ashes series.

“There’s a lot of time in the lead up to the tour of South Africa, where I’m going to be with the Test players, the Test batters in Australia, and there’s conversations that can be had there.

“I’ve certainly had conversations with Flem, who I absolutely love, about language that he would like me to use with the Test batters, going into South Africa, and then certainly into the summer next year.

“I just don’t think I can commit to a lot more time.”

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