KP could ditch IPL for English county deal

Hobart, March 14: Exiled batsman Kevin Pietersen says he's considering a return to English county cricket this year in a bid to regain his place in England's Test and One-Day Intertiol (ODI) sides.

Pietersen was controversially sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year and appeared destined to play out the rest of his career in Twenty20 leagues around the world, report cricket.com.au.

But a change of leadership at the ECB - Tom Harrison has replaced David Collier as CEO and Colin Graves will take over as chairman from Giles Clarke in May - has convinced Pietersen that his intertiol career may not yet be over.

The 34-year-old says he's looking at the prospect of signing a county contract and ditching his lucrative deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as it clashes with the English domestic season.

"That's what I'm looking at the moment. There will be a change of scenery at board level with the ECB and I've always expressed my desire to play for England again if I got the opportunity," Pietersen told Fox Sports ahead of his World Cup commentary debut during Australia's Pool A match against Scotland on Saturday.

"And it seems encouraging, but I've obviously got a few steps that I've got to climb. It just makes perfect sense to explore different things. That's what I'm doing at the moment." IANS