Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has been named as the mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals as announced on Thursday (Feb 27). Pietersen who represented Delhi in his playing days will serve as the side's mentor as the franchise prepares to conquer its maiden IPL title. Delhi have undergone significant changes during the off-season with key players like David Warner and Rishabh Pant leaving the side and KL Rahul joining the team.

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KP returns as a mentor at Delhi Capitals

"I've got incredible memories of representing the Delhi franchise in the IPL, and I’ve been able to maintain that passion for the team even as a broadcaster over the years. I shared the field with Venu (Venugopal Rao) during the 2012 season, and it’s great to be reconnecting with him as we begin a new chapter at this amazing franchise,” Pietersen said.

The former England captain played for Delhi between 2012 and 2014 and helped the franchise finish top in the standings. Pietersen will be seen in the dugout of the franchise this season having previously served on commentary duty of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) world feed.

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"We are delighted to welcome KP as our team mentor. He has been a Delhi boy, having played for us in the IPL earlier, and it's great to have him back in a different role. We are confident that his vast experience, his tactical understanding of the game, and his passion for the franchise will be invaluable to our team and our players,” Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman & Co-owner, of Delhi Capitals said.

The Capitals have been on a disappointing run since 2020 when they last played in the final of the IPL. They will look to win the IPL 2025 with the presence of key players like KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. DC start their season on March 24 in a clash with Lucknow Super Giants.