Kevin Pietersen, the destructive batter and former English captain, has been named the mentor of Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025. The 44-year-old will work in the DC backroom alongside head coach Hemang Badani, assistant coach Matthew Mott, bowling coach Munaf Patel, and cricket director Venugopal Rao.
This will be Pietersen’s first IPL coaching duty since his last appearance in the league in 2016 as a player.
Pietersen played for three IPL teams in the five seasons starting in 2009, including Delhi Capitals (then known as the Delhi Daredevils). He even captained the team 17 times, including the entire 2014 season when they finished at the bottom of the league with two victories in 14 games. He also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru in some matches of the 2009 IPL.
Pietersen has also played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), and Big Bash League (BBL) in addition to the IPL. He played 200 Twenty20 matches in total, scoring 5695 runs at a strike rate of a little under 137 and an average of 33.89.
Pietersen led England in 15 matches, including a 2008 Test series in India.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to step into this new role as a mentor for the Capitals,” he said in a DC press release. “And I’m really looking forward to joining the squad, working closely with the boys, and doing everything I can to help us win that ultimate prize.”
“I’ve got incredible memories of representing the Delhi franchise in the IPL, and I’ve been able to maintain that passion for the team even as a broadcaster over the years. I shared the field with Venu (Venugopal Rao) during the 2012 season, and it’s great to be reconnecting with him as we begin a new chapter at this amazing franchise.”
DC, who have only ever made it to the IPL final once in all these years, finished sixth in the 2024 tournament.
DC’s Indian support crew—Badani, Rao, and Munaf—had recently led Dubai Capitals to the ILT20 title, the first trophy won by a Capitals team in men’s or women’s competitions anywhere in the world. Pietersen could be a great addition to this Indian trio to bring some success to the Capitals franchise in IPL as well.
