Ahead of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has stepped down as mentor of the Delhi Capitals franchise. He said he cannot commit the time the role requires. The 45-year-old will, however, return as a commentator for the tournament.

DC had appointed Pietersen for the role in February last year for the 2025 edition of the IPL. He worked alongside the support staff, which included Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, Head Coach Hemang Badani, Assistant Coach Matthew Mott, and Bowling Coach Munaf Patel.

During his time with Delhi Capitals, Pietersen helped young players improve their skills and overall game. Ashutosh Sharma was one player who benefited from his advice and international experience. Pietersen also created a friendly and fun environment. His humorous exchanges with senior batter KL Rahul were popular among fans on social media.

Also read -Watch: “No Legal Action” – Pakistan chief selector makes controversial statement on Jasprit Bumrah ahead of IPL 2026

Kevin Pietersen says he cannot commit the time required for the Delhi Capitals mentor role

The Former England cricketer announced that he will not be the mentor for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. He took to X to share the news, saying, “I cannot be a mentor for Delhi Capitals in this IPL season. I can't commit to the time that the job requires.”

🚨 समाचार 🚨

मैं आईपीएल के इस सीजन में दिल्ली कैपिटल्स के लिए मेंटर नहीं बन सकता।

मैं उस समय के लिए प्रतिबद्ध नहीं हो सकता, जो काम की आवश्यकता है।

सभी खिलाड़ियों को इस सीजन के लिए शुभकामनाएं! ❤️

हालांकि मैं आपको कॉम बॉक्स में वापस देखूंगा! आईपीएल दुनिया की सबसे अच्छी लीग है…

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) March 14, 2026

Pietersen did not have a very memorable IPL 2025 season as a coach. He said, “I am still trying to figure out what a mentor is. I have learned a lot. I have loved it, absolutely loved it.”

During the 2025 season, Pietersen worked with Head Coach Hemang Badani, Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, and other members of the Delhi Capitals coaching staff. Badani and Rao will continue their roles with DC. As Pietersen ends his mentoring role, fans look back at how Delhi Capitals performed under his guidance and the impact he had on young players in the squad.

Former England captain wishes Delhi Capitals players luck for IPL 2026 season

Even after stepping down, Pietersen wished the Delhi Capitals players good luck for the IPL 2026 season. He also did not forget his past franchise and wrote, “Best wishes to all the players for this season!”

In IPL 2025, the Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals made a strong start. They became the first team to reach 10 points after winning their first four matches against Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Mumbai Indians handed them their first defeat. DC won their fifth game in a Super Over against Rajasthan Royals. With five wins from six games, DC were at the top and looked likely to qualify for the playoffs.

However, their form dropped in the second half of the season, and they managed only two more wins in the next eight games. Winning their last league match against Punjab Kings was the only positive in the second half. IPL 2025 was a season of two very different halves for Delhi Capitals.

Kevin Pietersen confirms he will return to commentary box during IPL 2026

Kevin Pietersen has confirmed that he will step aside from his mentoring role with Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026 but will return to the commentary box. He wrote, “However, I'll see you back in the commentary box! IPL is the world's best league, and I can't wait to see all of you soon!”

Pietersen may also take other cricket-related roles in the future. He has said he is interested in working as a coach for the England cricket team, especially in Test cricket. The former England captain believes he can help the team with mindset and approach in the longest format.

During his international career, Pietersen played 104 Tests, scoring 8,181 runs, and 136 ODIs, scoring 4,440 runs.

The BCCI announced the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026, from March 28 to April 12. Delhi Capitals will start their season with an away match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1.

India's former captain Rohit Sharma was seen taking up a batting challenge with Kevin Pietersen, posted on the former English cricketer's YouTube channel. The batters had quite an amazing time with a light-hearted three-stage cricket contest. The players looked ecstatic and enjoyed the fun-filled challenge.

The challenge was spread into three stages as mentioned above: easy, intermediate, and impossible rounds. The batters were asked to strike the ball towards the areas where targets are placed. Their main target was to score 250, and the person who did it first would be the winner. Amidst the challenge, when Pietersen asked Rohit about his first kit, he took a trip down memory lane. 

"Yeah, way back when I was 11 years old. Obviously, I couldn’t afford it. And I was very lucky to get it gifted by someone who I really, really admire still because that was my first ever kit and I still remember how protective I was of that kit. And it’s a moment you’ll never forget. Never, ever," said Rohit Sharma.

Rohit last played in the ODI series against South Africa, where his performance wasn't impressive. However, he did score a century against Australia back in October 2025. He is one of the best opening batter for India and will be looking forward to performing well in the upcoming series. After retiring from Tests and T20Is, all his concentration is on the ODI World Cup 2027.

Watch the video here:

ROHIT SHARMA WITH KEVIN PIETERSEN. 😍

- KP proving out to be the best YouTuber. 😂🔥pic.twitter.com/tjNvKgoqGc

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 26, 2026

When will Rohit Sharma be back in action?

Rohit Sharma, the right-hand batter, will be next seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, starting on March 26. He has been a part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) and will be playing for them this season. Rohit was the skipper of the franchise before Hardik Pandya took over the leadership role. MI have been one of the most successful franchises, winning five IPL trophies in total. 

After the IPL, Rohit will be back in action in the blue jersey in the ODI series against England in July 2026. India will travel to England to play a white-ball series this time. With the ODI World Cup 2027 approaching sooner, it will be a good opportunity for the players to practice and get ready for the marquee event. 

England's star batter Jos Buttler has taken the cricket world by surprise amidst the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. He has set a new Guinness World Record for taking the highest catch ever in the history of the game. Buttler, one of the best keepers in the world, caught the ball thrown from a 122 metres distance high above the ground. 

Former cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared the video of Buttler taking the catch and setting up a world record. The video went viral on social media as the fans were ecstatic to watch the cricketer take the catch from such a great distance. The cricket ball was dropped from a helicopter from high above the ground, which was a part of the challenge. 

Buttler, wearing his keeping gloves and a helmet, kept his eyes entirely on the ball throughout and caught it with ease. While he made it look effortless, 122 meters is not a small distance and is never easy to catch on a bright sunny day. He is an inspiration for all the budding players who aspire to play for their national teams. 

The right-handed batter then ran towards Pietersen and hugged him. Both of them looked happy for the feat. Meanwhile, Buttler surpassed the previous record of 119.86 metres, which was set in 2021 by Australian wicketkeeper Thimothy Shanon Jebaseelan. The English cricketer showcased the highest form of athleticism by taking the catch with ease. 

Watch the video here:

Jos Buttler took the world’s highest catch. 🤯pic.twitter.com/zymfi9BRMq

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 12, 2026

England struggle in Super 8 race

The English team, led by Harry Brook, has found themselves in great trouble as they lost their previous encounter against the West Indies in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. After struggling to win against Nepal in the first match, England lost the second game by 30 runs. As per the tournament rules, the top two teams will qualify for the Super 8 stage. 

Currently, the West Indies and Scotland are in the top two positions. While the Caribbean nation has won two games, Scotland have won one, but their NRR is better than England's. The upcoming match between Scotland and England will be crucial, as it will partially decide the team that is likely to qualify for the Super 8 round. 

England have a great batting line-up, but they failed to chase 197 runs in the previous game. The middle-order batters couldn't collect runs or stitch partnerships, which is why the game went in the West Indies' favor. Sam Curran scored 41 runs and claimed a wicket in the match, but couldn't help his team from finishing on the losing end.

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma was seen having a fun chat with former England captain Kevin Pietersen at a T20 World Cup 2026 event in Dubai. A video of their talk is now viral on social media. They were discussing big sixes when Rohit jokingly asked a question about their arms.

He said, “Look at his biceps and look at mine. Do I need big biceps to hit long sixes?” He added that Pietersen may hit 100-meter sixes, but he is happy to hit the ball just far enough to cross the boundary.

Rohit has played 508 international matches. He has hit 650 sixes in all formats, the most in international cricket. Chris Gayle is second with 553 sixes in 483 matches.

Watch the video here:

Rohit Sharma told Kevin Pietersen in funny way, “Look at my biceps and then look at yours. You hit 100-meter sixes, while I only manage around 70 meters just enough to clear the boundary rope.”😂 pic.twitter.com/RBEG9oQhbE

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) February 11, 2026

Rohit Sharma now plays only ODI cricket

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma is now active only in ODI cricket. He retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup in 2024. Later, in May 2025, he also retired from Test cricket. Recently, the right-handed opener played in the ODI series against New Zealand.

Also read -Watch: KL Rahul & Ahan Shetty step out for dinner in Mumbai ahead of IPL 2026

Rohit aims to win the 2027 World Cup

At the same event, the Nagpur-born cricketer spoke about his wish to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup. He said he grew up watching the 50-over World Cup and always saw it as the biggest prize in cricket.

Rohit said he wants to win the World Cup for India. He added that when he was young, there was no T20 World Cup, no IPL, and no World Test Championship. The 50-over World Cup was the biggest event and it came once every four years. He said he will work very hard and do everything possible to win the trophy.

As captain, Rohit came close to winning the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, team India lost the final to Australia in Ahmedabad.

The former England middle-order batter, Kevin Pietersen, wonders about the stance of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in case they meet India in an anticipated final of the T20 World Cup 2026, as they had already forfeited the clash against India during the group stage of the competition, which was scheduled to happen on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Pietersen’s comments came after the Pakistan government confirmed that they would give the green light to their national cricket team to feature in the T20 World Cup, but wouldn’t allow the game against India to go through. Their decision comes after the ICC boycotted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) from the event after they refused to play in India due to security concerns.

See Also: Watch: “Wisdom fails…”- Atul Wassan reacts to Pakistan’s forfeit to India clash in T20 WC 2026

“Not sure if India can meet Pakistan in this World Cup final due to groups and play-offs, but if they can, would Pakistan refuse to play the World Cup final?” Pietersen expressed in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Kevin Pietersen questions PCB’s stance in potential T20 WC 2026 final vs India

The India-Pakistan fixture is by far the most-watched and lucrative clash of any ICC event. The ICC has ensured that two teams are always in the same group of any competition since 2012, even after the worst diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Now, the eyes are on the ICC, which will anyway have the final say regarding this matter.

Not sure if India can meet Pakistan in this World Cup final due to groups and play offs, but if they can, would Pakistan refuse to play the World Cup final?

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 1, 2026

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.” The Pakistan government expressed its views on X.

Pakistan is in the same group as India, the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia. After the decision to forfeit the India game, Pakistan will need to win all of its remaining three games of the group stage. Any defeat can see them being slipped to get knocked out of the event before the second stage.

Star Indian batter KL Rahul has admitted that he has thought about retirement but said he is still “some time away” from making that decision.

Speaking with former England captain Kevin Pietersen, Rahul said stepping away from cricket would not be very difficult for him, as he does not see himself as too important. The 33-year-old is a regular member of India’s Test and ODI teams. He opens the batting in Tests and plays a key role at number five or six in ODIs.

Regarded as one of the most technically sound batters in world cricket, Rahul struggled with inconsistency in the early part of his career. Since around 2022, however, he has found form again and re-established himself as a key player in both formats.

“I have thought about it. I don’t think retirement will be that difficult,” Rahul said on Pietersen’s YouTube channel. “If you are honest with yourself, you know when the time has come. There is no point dragging it. But I am still some time away.”

Also read -Watch: Will there be Asia Cup in future? Aakash Chopra drops bold statement

Changed priorities after becoming a father

Star Indian batter KL Rahul said his priorities have changed since he and his wife Athiya Shetty welcomed their first child, daughter Evaarah, last year. He explained that becoming a father has completely changed the way he looks at life and cricket.

“Just quit,” Rahul said, while speaking about retirement. “Enjoy what you have and spend time with your family. I tell myself that I am not that important. Cricket in our country will go on. Cricket in the world will go on. There are more important things in life,” he said. Rahul added that after having his first baby, his mindset has changed a lot.

With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now retired from Test cricket, Rahul has become one of the senior players in a young and changing Indian team.

KL Rahul Opens Up On Injury Struggles, Criticism & Retirement 💭

Check Out This BIG Interview NOW on Our YouTube Channel, GO SUBSCRIBE! 💥 pic.twitter.com/luXLUUl5jr

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 26, 2026

Injuries were the hardest battle

Rahul also spoke about injuries, which affected the early part of his career. He said injuries are the hardest mental challenge for any cricketer.

“There have been many times when I got injured, and that is the toughest battle,” he said. “It is not the pain from the physio or the surgeon. It is the mental fight, where your mind starts giving up,” Rahul explained.

He added that after getting injured again and again, the mind starts saying that you have done enough and earned enough from cricket to live comfortably.

The former England batter, Kevin Pietersen, has predicted that India would head into the home T20 World Cup 2026 as they are favored to defend their title, which they won in the previous edition against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Under Surya Kumar Yadav, India has yet to lose a T20I series since that moment.

Kevin Pietersen talked about how the biggest brands in the game will make sure that it continues to grow in the future, as cricket stands as the second biggest sport in his eyes. He also touched on how the growth of the game will be good for them, as in X player broadcasters walking on the game.

See Also: “No justice from…”- Bangladesh sports advisor accuses this on ICC after boycotting the T20 World Cup 2026

“Big players joining hands together can only be good for the game of cricket. When you have one of the biggest brands in the world and the second biggest sport in the world, it’s fantastic. That means there will be more eyeballs on the game of cricket, and the game can grow globally, which, for us, as ex-players and the broadcasters, sees the game win.” Pietersen spoke in an interview.

Kevin Pietersen predicts India to win T20 World Cup 2026

India have started their last-minute preparation for the ongoing five-match home T20I series against New Zealand, where they claimed the first victory at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, having posted the massive score of 238 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Watch the video here: 

#WATCH | Mumbai: On India's chances in the T20 World Cup, former England Cricketer Kevin Pietersen says, "They are the favourites. In the shortest form that is T20 cricket in India, they are the favourites..." pic.twitter.com/fkNE6GKvqu

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026

“In the shortest format, and in India, they are favorites.” Pietersen's address on India’s chances in the World Cup as the home side will begin their campaign against the United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

“Dewald Brevis, for South Africa. He again played another incredible innings last night. A couple of days ago, I was calling the game in Johannesburg, where his team, the Pretoria Capitals, led by (Sourav) Ganguly, was struggling. They were 7/5 (against Joburg Super Kings), and Brevis went in and batted for 15 overs, and they got to a winning total of 140 or 150 (143/6).” The former batter revealed the player to watch out for.

The entire cricket community was astonished when the news of Yuvraj Singh's cancer broke out. How he overcame the life-threatening situation and got back into international cricket again is, to date, a testimonial for sports fraternities.

During a recent conversation with former England batter Kevin Pietersen, Yuvraj Singh reveals that he had only three to six months to live. He was on the verge of leaving cricket as doctors explained how dangerous the tumor had grown. Singh had to choose only one between cricket and his life—a do-or-die situation in real life. But he refused to leave Cricket. In disbelief, Pietersen uttered 'Jesus' when the former India batter said that he had only three to six months left.

Singh and his family had to decide what to do to get back to a normal life. They went to the USA for treatment; after that, what happened is inspiring. Yuvraj Singh, who hit 6 sixes in an over against Stuart Broad, made a comeback for team India in international cricket. 

Read More: Shubman Gill refused captaincy ahead of IND vs NZ ODI series

Yuvraj said, "I wanted to go on the Australia tour because I was just starting to find a place in Test cricket. I didn't want to retire, and I've been waiting for this (test debut) for seven years. I spoke to the doctor. He said, 'You only have three to six months to live.' Now, it's up to you to decide whether you want to play cricket or get treatment."

Yuvraj Singh further explained, "The tumor was between my lungs and heart and was compressing the heart's arteries. So the doctors said that if I didn't get chemotherapy, I could have a heart attack. And then they sent me for treatment."

Watch the conversation where Yuvraj Singh said about the life-threatening situation 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kevin Pietersen | The Switch (@kptheswitch)

He added, "I still remember the doctor's words when I entered the hospital. All my tests were done. He said, 'You will come out as someone who never had cancer.' Those were the first words of encouragement from the doctor."

Yuvraj Singh's first international match after battling cancer was an emotional T20I against New Zealand in Chennai in September 2012, where he scored 34 runs off 26 balls and took a catch as well. 

In the latest video of Kevin Pietersen, India’s opening batter, KL Rahul, turned up to test the illegal bats in a ground, as the video has gone viral. Pietersen showed a bat at the start of the video, which he called illegal, designed to smash the ball harder, further, and, as some say, unfairly around the park. He reckoned that using it was cheating.

Rahul used the bat and nailed a few massive sixes around the ground before the England batter himself took the charge to nail it out of the ground. Rahul and Pietersen love nailing the sixes as they use those illegal bats. It was one of the three batters, which were either wide, or tall, or had a higher spec than normal.

See Also: “Trust me…”- Abhishek Sharma reacts to Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill’s struggle in recent T20Is

“Our only goal is to find out whether these bats are legal or not.” Said Rahul, who cracked a massive six straight down the ground and claimed, “Never hit a ball that far.’

KL Rahul and Kevin Pietersen test illegal bats in viral video

Rahul recently featured in the three-match ODI series against South Africa at home, where here was the leader of the side in the absence of captain, Shubman Gill. Rahul smashed two successive fifties in the first couple of clashes in Ranchi and Raipur and didn’t get the chance to bat in the third game in Vizag as India bagged the series by a 2-1 margin.

Watch the video here: 

We Tested Illegal Cricket Bats! ⚠️

Check Out Our NEW EPIC Challenge On YouTube, GO SUBSCRIBE! 💥 pic.twitter.com/5sXV8YDeut

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) December 15, 2025

Rahul has overall smashed 8125 runs in 226 innings at an average of around 42 in T20s and a strike rate of 136.69 with the help of seven centuries and 68 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 132 runs. In T20Is, the Bengaluru-born has cracked 2265 runs at a strike rate of 139.12 with two centuries and 22 fifties.

Even in the IPL, the veteran has nailed 5222 runs in 136 innings at an average of 46.21 and a strike rate of 136.02 with five centuries and 40 fifties at the best score of unbeaten 132 runs. Last year, he drilled 539 runs at a strike rate of 149.72 for the Delhi Capitals, thanks to one century and three fifties.