McCullum wants Pietersen to challenge him around ways to improve England cricket

Brendon McCullum has brought Kevin Pietersen into the England setup as a white-ball mentor, giving him a clear brief: look at everything and push back on the head coach. Pietersen started the role ahead of Tuesday's T20I series against Sri Lanka in Southampton and is set to stay through the 2027 ODI World Cup.

McCullum wants him to roam the environment and say what isn't working. The move sits inside a wider push to lift standards across the limited-overs side.

On his first day Pietersen watched training at the Utilita Bowl, then spoke to the squad; the players left the session visibly fired up.