IPL 2026: Kevin Pietersen steps down as Delhi Capitals mentor ahead of upcoming season
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Pietersen joined the Capitals last year.
The Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) will start on March 28. Ahead of the upcoming season, Kevin Pietersen, one of England’s most celebrated batsmen, made a big statement about his role in IPL.
Kevin said he will not continue in his role as mentor of the Delhi Capitals for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League. The 45-year-old, who brought loads of T20 experience and a pretty big personality to the dugout last year, said that the demands of the job were a bit too much for him right now.
However, he will not be leaving the IPL completely as he is returning to the commentary box, where he has been before taking up this role. Taking to X to break the news himself, Pietersen wrote:
“I cannot be a mentor for the Delhi Capitals in this IPL season. 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”
Pietersen’s association with Delhi, both as a player when the franchise was named Delhi Daredevils and now as a mentor, has been a major part of his popularity in India. But the day-to-day demands of the mentoring role don’t mesh with their existing commitments.
Pietersen scored 5,695 runs in 200 matches in his career, and in the IPL, he’s knocked up 1,001 runs for Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
How Delhi Capitals fared under Pietersen’s mentorship
The 2025 season, which was also Pietersen’s only season, offered a reasonable but ultimately incomplete picture of what his mentorship brought to the Delhi Capitals.
Under his guidance, alongside Captain Axar Patel and Head Coach Hemang Badani, the side won 7 of their 14 league matches and finished fifth in the table. They started pretty well, but ultimately lost momentum in the middle of the season.
KL Rahul was their standout batter with 539 runs, while Kuldeep Yadav claimed the most wickets (15) for the franchise. However, the team could not push beyond the league stage, and with never having won an IPL title, expectations remain high heading into the upcoming season, but this time without Kevin in their corner.
Delhi Capitals First Phase Schedule for IPL 2026-
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
| April 1 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| April 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| April 8 | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| April 11 | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
When did Kevin Pietersen join the Delhi Capitals as a mentor?
Pietersen joined the Capitals last year.
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Ajay Gandhar has been part of Khel Now since 2023 and has expertise across a wide range of Olympic sports. While his coverage spans the Olympic spectrum, he is passionate about Badminton, Tennis, Football, and Track and Field. Beyond his primary focus areas, Ajay is also an avid kabaddi enthusiast and closely follows the sport.