Kevin Pietersen reveals talks to join England Test squad in mentoring role

Pietersen joined England white-ball team as a batting consultant for the ongoing series at home against Sri Lanka and will be involved in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup next year.

The 46-year-old said his schedule with various businesses that he is involved in will not allow him to take a full-time post with England.

Pietersen said: "I have had a conversation with Stephen Fleming, but I don't think that necessarily means that I need to be in a dressing-room.

"There's a lot of time in the lead-up to an Ashes series; there's a lot of time in the lead-up to the tour of South Africa now, where I'm going to be with the Test batters in Australia, and there's conversations that can be had there."

Pietersen also played down expectations of England's prospects at next year's 50-over World Cup that will be held in Southern Africa.

"It would be amazing if we can achieve success, but I'm not sitting here saying, 'We want to win the World Cup,'" he said. "We want to be competitive next year in South Africa, and I think that's the game.

"We've got a very successful T20 team. We know we're not as successful in the one-day format, so over the next 12 months, we have to work our absolute backsides off, day and night, in every single country that we're in to get better every single day."