Pietersen rejoins England as white-ball mentor ahead of 2027 World Cup

Kevin Pietersen’s return to England’s coaching set-up as a mentor ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup could prove a major benefit to the team, according to former England fast bowler Steven Finn.

Writing for the BBC, Finn says he was surprised by Pietersen’s appointment, given his acrimonious departure from England in 2014 and his subsequent success with his YouTube channel, The Switch.

However, Finn believes Pietersen’s forthright personality and uncompromising approach could provide an important challenge to England’s players.

Finn, who shared an England dressing room with Pietersen, recalls the former batsman’s intense approach to practice and his willingness to push team-mates to improve.

He says Pietersen was particularly committed to purposeful practice, recalling how the pair would compete fiercely in the nets, with Pietersen deliberately provoking him to bowl faster.

Finn also remembers Pietersen working hard on his own game, including spending extended periods facing left-arm spin in Sri Lanka in 2012 before producing a remarkable 151 against Rangana Herath.

Pietersen also helped Finn prepare for the short ball during the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia, when Mitchell Johnson was causing England's batsmen major problems. Finn believes those experiences demonstrate what Pietersen could bring to his new mentoring role.

He says Pietersen was never afraid to challenge established thinking, pointing to his early embrace of the IPL and his innovative switch-hit as examples of a player who was ahead of his time.

Finn acknowledges that introducing a challenging voice into an England environment that has been improving could carry risks, but believes the benefits outweigh them.

He says the 50-over format requires a combination of the fundamentals associated with Test cricket and the attacking skills developed in shorter formats.

With the World Cup approaching, Finn believes Pietersen can provide England with the checks and balances required to prevent complacency.

“Pietersen will provide this, unfiltered,” Finn writes.