Cricket-Pietersen says he is open to England coaching role


Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Delhi Capitals v Kolkata Knight Riders - Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, India - April 29, 2025 Delhi Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Mihir Singh

March 8 (Reuters) - Former England ⁠captain Kevin Pietersen says he would be interested ⁠in joining the team’s coaching set-up and would look ‌to alter their approach to test cricket.

England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia triggered a January review by the England and Wales Cricket Board, putting ​scrutiny on coach Brendon McCullum’s aggressive “Bazball” ⁠tactics.

“I would absolutely look at ⁠it in the longest form of the game and try ⁠to ‌help these guys understand that there is a way that you can play,” Pietersen, 45, told The ⁠Guardian.

“Tactically, you’ve got to understand the situation. I ​know I’ve ‌got all the credentials. I know I do. I’ve ⁠worn every ​single T-shirt."

The former Ashes and T20 World Cup winner said England needed a more measured approach in tests.

“In the shortest form ⁠of the game, sure, play without fear, ​go out there, be brave, be reckless, be careless, be whatever you want. In test match cricket, you cannot do that," ⁠he said.

"I hit back at the stumps for a long time in my career. I didn’t run down the wicket against Australia’s fastest bowlers and try and slog them ​for six first ball. I knew my ⁠limitations."

England, who were eliminated from the T20 World Cup on ​Thursday after a seven-wicket loss to ‌India, next host New Zealand in ​a three-match test series in June.

(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in New Delhi; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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