Kevin Pietersen Steps Down as Delhi Capitals Mentor
New Delhi, March 14, 2026 – Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has stepped down from his role as mentor of the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pietersen, who took on the mentorship position last year1, cited time constraints as the reason for his departure.
Time Commitment Challenges
Pietersen explained that he is unable to commit the necessary time required for the mentorship role1. He announced his decision on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his best wishes to the Delhi Capitals players for the upcoming season. Despite stepping down as mentor, Pietersen will return to the IPL as a commentator1, 2 and 3.
Previous Role and IPL Experience
Pietersen’s appointment as Delhi Capitals mentor in 2025 marked his first coaching assignment in the IPL since he last played in the league in 20161. Throughout his T20 career, spanning 200 matches, he scored 5,695 runs with an average of 33.89 and a strike rate just below 1371.
Delhi Capitals and IPL 2026 Season
The Delhi Capitals are scheduled to begin their IPL 2026 season with an away game against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekaran Stadium in Lucknow on April 11. The season will officially kick off on March 28 with a match between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru1.
Pietersen’s IPL Career
Pietersen has participated in 36 IPL matches, scoring 1,001 runs for teams including Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Pune Warriors India3.