Kevin Pietersen has been given no assurances about a return to England ’ s set-up in a phone call with the new power- broker of English cricket . Mixed messages coming out of the ECB have left the impression the door is open to the maverick batsman , who was sacked last year after the Ashes debacle . But incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves , who takes over from Pietersen ’ s arch-opponent Giles Clarke on May 15 , has spoken to the 34-year-old and made it clear there are no guarantees — even if he scores heavily for Surrey on his expected county comeback . Kevin Pietersen will return to Surrey in the summer to play in the LV= County Championship . Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves has made it clear there are no guarantees . Graves , who instigated the conversation , hoped to keep it confidential but the tenor of the chat was that Pietersen ’ s England future rests entirely with the selectors , who would consider form as well as other aspects — such as upsetting team spirit — when picking the Test side this summer . A number of players , led by captain Alastair Cook , would strongly resist a KP comeback . Though Graves told Pietersen he would not interfere with selection , having never done so as chairman of Yorkshire , Pietersen ( right ) remains so enthused about the slim possibility of playing for England again that he will commit himself to Surrey this season . He said while commentating on Test Match Special at the World Cup : ‘ If I can do anything that can help me get back into it for England , then it ’ s something I want to do. ’ Surrey still have to agree the detail of Pietersen ’ s re-engagement but he is expected to fulfil at least some of his £205,000 IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad . He would then need some practice in red-ball cricket , which he last played in the Sydney Test of January 2014 that completed the 5-0 Ashes whitewash . Pietersen has hinted he could change his IPL contract in a bid to push for an England place . After playing for the Big Bash League 's Melbourne Stars , Pietersen has signed with the Sunrisers Hyderabad . England cricket managing director Paul Downton said he watched every ball of that game and had never seen a player so disengaged from his team-mates . Given the strong opposition of Downton and chairman of selectors James Whitaker , Pietersen ’ s hopes boil down to the side doing so badly against the West Indies and New Zealand in the next two Test series that radical changes are considered for the Ashes , which starts in July . Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called England ’ s current situation a ‘ soap opera ’ , and says the team need to beat the West Indies 3-0 to stop talk of a Pietersen comeback . ‘ It is clear that for Kevin to have any hope of playing for England — and it is only a small hope — he has to play county cricket and we will see what happens , ’ Vaughan said on TMS . ‘ The game needs a change , it needs someone to come in and say the past is the past and to start afresh . Graves is clearly going to do that . Obviously it ’ s going to ruffle a few feathers but maybe that ’ s what they need . ‘ Maybe this is a fantastic motivational tool . If the team don ’ t want Pietersen in the side then go to the West Indies and win 3-0 . Play better , score more runs and win more games and Pietersen will never play again . ’
Colin Graves will line up for Surrey in the LV= County Championship . The 34-year-old has spoken to incoming ECB chairman Kevin Pietersen . No guarantees for KP — even if he scores heavily for Surrey .