Kevin Pietersen is being urged to make the England selectors ' lives difficult after his barnstorming start to the summer . England 's exiled record run-scorer made 170 off 149 balls against MCC Universities Oxford at The Parks on Sunday , at the start of Surrey 's three-day fixture . Former England captains Alec Stewart , Pietersen 's boss as Surrey director of cricket , and Nasser Hussain have since both had their say on the 34-year-old 's chances of a return to the Test arena . Kevin Pietersen in action for Surrey on day two of the three-day match against Oxford MCCU . Pietersen ( centre ) pictured with his Surrey team-mates at The Parks on Monday . Stewart is hoping Pietersen can further his quest when Surrey face Glamorgan in their first LV= County Championship fixture next week - while Hussain insists England 's selectors need to clarify with a 'very public decision ' once and for all whether the controversial South Africa-born batsman has any prospects of playing for his adopted country again . Pietersen 's impressive return to long-form cricket 14 months after his England sacking was timely , on the eve of the first Test against the West Indies which began 4,000 miles away in Antigua on Monday . Stewart said : 'Anyone who scores runs will ask questions of the selectors . 'Kevin should n't look any further than the next innings , whether it 's here or down at Cardiff . 'If he strings hundreds together - and the reason we signed him is because we want him to score hundreds , double-hundreds , help us win games and be successful - it will be interesting to see where it may lead to . 'No one has got any idea whether Kevin Pietersen will play for England again . 'The only people that know that are those who are currently picking the England side . 'At the moment he 's not being considered , because he has n't played red ball cricket for the last 14 months . ' Pietersen chills out against the fence as Oxford MCCU bat on Monday . Alec Stewart ( right ) believes that Pietersen could make it difficult for the England selectors . Hussain is impressed that Pietersen has already proved he is serious about a recall , and he is adamant the England and Wales Cricket Board must 'watch out ' for him . 'He could easily go off and get his IPL contract and play over there , ' Hussain said on Sky Sports 2 . 'He 's decided to give it another go ... people say 'Oh , 170 against Oxford - it was only Oxford ' . 'But as a player who has played 100 Test matches to turn up at The Parks and smash 170 shows how determined he is - so I 'd watch out , if I was a selector . ' Hussain senses Pietersen will not be easily deterred , unless England spell out that they do not want him . 'This is not a lad that 's going to go away , and the ECB need to make a decision on Kevin Pietersen - make a very public decision on him , whether he is available for selection or not , ' he said . ' I know the chairman elect , Colin Graves , has said that he is . 'But it needs to come from the selectors . ' Pietersen believes last week 's departure of Paul Downton - the ECB managing director who described him as 'disengaged ' - has offered him an England 'lifeline ' even as he approaches the veteran stage of his record-breaking career . Stewart , who played for England until the age of 40 , added : 'Whether you 're 18 or 38 , if you 're good enough , then I believe you take the age factor out of the occasion . 'If you 're performing , surely you 've got to be warranting a place in the team . ' Pietersen made 170 runs off 149 balls during his stint with the bat in Oxford on Sunday . Pietersen fielding on Monday afternoon as the 34-year-old makes his county cricket return . He hopes Pietersen can boost Surrey 's championship promotion prospects , and was encouraged by his comeback . 'It was a very good innings , ' Stewart added . 'He had to get used to playing red ball cricket again - lining it up , letting it go - and then he showed what a quality batsman he is , which we all know but we just have n't seen it because he 's only played 20-over cricket . 'We 've signed Kevin because he 's a top-class player . 'Will he play for England ? We do n't know . All we 're going to do is enjoy having Kevin around , scoring as many runs as he can . 'Next game , next innings , is the next most important one . ' Pietersen had a quieter second day back in his whites . He fielded at mid-off and slip as Surrey 's hosts dug in after resuming on 28 for four . Jack McIver top-scored with 83 , hitting 11 fours and a six , in the students ' 224 all out . Chris Tremlett , another England Test player , took five for 30 . Surrey reshuffled their batting order in the second innings , and Pietersen was left to watch on as they reached 182 for three - Zafar Ansari making 53 towards a lead of 378 entering Tuesday 's final day .
Kevin Pietersen made 170 runs of 149 balls for the West Indies in Oxford on Sunday . Alec Stewart says the batsman can make it difficult for England selectors . Pietersen believes Paul Downton 's departure has given him a 'lifeline ' England started the first Test against Surrey in Antigua on Monday .