Pietersen wanted Warne to be England coach in 2009: report

One of the sharpest brains in world cricket, Warne's appointment would have plugged the gap in Pietersen's tactical knowledge but the prospect of such a volatile pair running England would have sent waves of panic through the ECB, a report in 'Daily Telegraph' said.

It was only when the England and Wales Cricket Board consulted the other players and discovered there was no solid support for Pietersen's blueprint that he began to lose his grip on the captaincy, the report said.

Warne refused to comment nor deny if Pietersen had approached him about becoming the England coach. They have worked together at Hampshire.

Warne would have wanted to bring in his own coaching team and reports in Australia have suggested Jeremy Snape, the former England one-day cricketer-turned-sports psychologist, and Victoria coach Darren Berry would have joined him in the England set-up, the report said.

That trio masterminded the Rajasthan Royals' victory in the inaugural Indian Premier League.