Incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves is planning to meet controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen when he returns from commentary duties at the Cricket World Cup, a report says.
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According to The Guardian, Graves has held phone convesations with Pietersen and plans to meet with the 34-year-old upon his return to England.
The report says that Pietersen has been negotiating a deal with County side Surrey after receiving assurances that good performances at County level would see him handed a fair shot at breaking back into the Test squad.
Pietersen would have to significantly cut down on his Indian and Caribbean T20 Premier League to play domestic cricket in England, but has gone on record to say he would do so if it meant being given a fair chance to break back into the England side.
The latest revelations could result in Graves heading on a collision course with national selector James Whitaker and Test captain Alastair Cook, who have both previously stated that there was no way back for Pietersen.
“I think (a Pietersen return) is very unlikely,” Cook is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
“There’s been a hell of a lot of stuff happened with his book and all that kind of stuff. It’s a long way back from that.”
Pietersen was in fine form with the bat in the recent Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars and similar form in County cricket would put major pressure on selectors to recall him.
Whether or not Graves’ influence would change the selectors’ stance on Pietersen remains to be seen, but interesting times lie ahead.
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