Joe Root welcomes Kevin Pietersen's appointment as white-ball mentor

England Test captain Joe Root welcomed Kevin Pietersen's appointment as specialist mentor for the men's white-ball teams. Pietersen returns to the England setup 12 years after his central contract was terminated in 2014.

The ECB confirmed the role on Monday, with Pietersen joining Brendon McCullum's backroom staff ahead of the T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. The consultancy runs until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Root said honest opinions from experienced players are valuable during the preparation phase. Pietersen has spent the intervening years as a pundit and commentator.