Kevin Pietersen steps down as Delhi Capitals mentor: Here's why

By Rajdeep Saha

Mar 14, 2026

06:37 pm

What's the story

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has stepped down from his role as a mentor for the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Pietersen, who had joined the franchise in February last year for the 2025 season, confirmed his decision on social media. He said that he won't be able to give enough time to fulfill the responsibilities of this role.

Commentary commitment

Pietersen will continue to work as a commentator

Pietersen also confirmed that he will be seen during the tournament as a commentator. "I cannot be a mentor for Delhi Capitals in this IPL season," he wrote on X. "I can't commit to the time that the job requires. Best wishes to all the players for this season! 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!"

Career highlights

Pietersen's role at Delhi Capitals

During his time with Delhi Capitals, Pietersen worked closely with the coaching staff including Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, head coach Hemang Badani, assistant coach Matthew Mott, and bowling coach Munaf Patel. He also spent a lot of time mentoring youngsters in the squad like Ashutosh Sharma. Despite stepping down from his mentor role at Delhi Capitals, Pietersen has recently expressed interest in joining England's coaching setup in the future.

Career overview

A look at Pietersen's international and IPL career

Pietersen is one of England's most famous cricketers, having scored 8,181 runs in Tests at 47.28 and 4,440 runs in ODIs at 40.76 during his international career. He also managed 1,176 runs in T20Is from 37 matches at 36.93. He has also played 36 IPL matches for several franchises. He managed 1,001 runs in the IPL at a sound 37.07.

Twitter Post

Pietersen!

🚨 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