'He thought I was joking': McCullum reveals phone call that brought Pietersen back

Brendon McCullum and Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen's return to the England setup has Brendon McCullum at the centre of the decision, with the white-ball head coach revealing that the idea of bringing the former England batter in as a mentor was his own.The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed last week that Pietersen would join the coaching group for the ODI and T20I assignments leading up to the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.Pietersen's appointment immediately raised eyebrows given his outspoken criticism of McCullum and England's preparations in the past. In 2025, he questioned the team's readiness for the ODI series against India ahead of the Champions Trophy and was particularly critical of the way the side had approached the assignment.But McCullum insists there is no lingering tension between the pair. Speaking ahead of England's first T20I against Sri Lanka on Monday, he explained that Pietersen's previous criticism was never a barrier to bringing him into the setup.

'I have no problem with that'

McCullum said he directly approached Pietersen about the role and was initially met with disbelief.“When I rang him the first time, I said, ‘Would you be interested in coming to work with England?’ He thought I was joking for a start.

And then he sort of mentioned, I've been quite critical of you guys in the past. I said, I have no problem with that, mate. There are parts of it I agree with, and there are parts I won't agree with. And that's fine. That's what the beauty of Kev coming in. He's obviously got an incredible pedigree as a player.

A lot of our guys grew up watching and idolising Kev when he was in his pomp as a player as well,” McCullum told reporters on Monday ahead of the 1st T20I against Sri Lanka.Pietersen has already made an impression since joining the group, according to McCullum. Rather than restricting his contribution to a particular area, the England coach wants the former batter to assess the wider environment and challenge existing thinking.“He's brought a ton of energy to the setup within the last 24 hours already. I've mentioned to him that I don't want him to just try and be buried in one specific skill set either.

I want him to look across the environment and setup, and challenge me privately on ways we can improve or thingswe can do differently. Our relationship is good,” he added.

McCullum confirms Pietersen was his idea

McCullum also stressed that their relationship is built on mutual respect, despite their contrasting views in the past.“It's full of respect. We play against each other and we've enjoyed spending the time together over the last little while or two.

I'm super excited to have him. I know he's super excited to be here. The boys are buzzing, and I'm pleased that we can add such a strong resource to what's already a very, very strong coaching staff of mine,” said McCullum.When asked directly whether Pietersen's appointment had originated with him, McCullum gave a straightforward answer.

“Yeah, it was my idea.”For McCullum, Pietersen's willingness to commit fully to a task and his ability to offer an alternative perspective are among the qualities that make him valuable to the England setup.“Hs work ethic is obviously second to none as well right throughout his career. When he's in on something, he's all in as well. I also think sometimes having someone who has a different take on things is no bad thing,” said McCullum.Pietersen is also familiar with the mentor's role, having previously worked in a similar capacity with Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Now, his experience will be available to England across the white-ball campaign leading into the World Cup.