Kevin Pietersen back in England side

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Kevin Pietersen back in England side

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Kevin Pietersen has reached an agreement with the ECB over his future as an international player.

03 October,2012 06:49 pm

Axed England batsman Kevin Pietersen is set to play international cricket again after reaching an agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board, the ECB said on Wednesday.The ECB and Kevin Pietersen confirm that agreement has been reached concerning a process for his re-integration into the England team during the remainder of 2012, the ECB said in a statement.Upon completion of the programme, the England selectors will consider Kevin for future matches.The 32-year-old star batsman was cast into international exile in August after sending text messages to touring South Africa players that contained criticism of then England captain Andrew Strauss during the Test series.He missed out on Englands failed World Twenty20 title defence in Sri Lanka and was not also selected for the upcoming tour of India.The ECB confirmed reports that Pietersen had apologised to Strauss for what he admitted were provocative messages to the South African players.It was unclear if Pietersen, who is in Sri Lanka working as a studio expert for the host broadcaster for the World Twenty20, will be considered for the Indian tour starting next month.Defending champions England failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.Pietersen, who appeared with ECB chairman Giles Clarke at a briefing for travelling British journalists in Colombo on Wednesday, hoped he would play for England as soon as possible.ECBs Clarke added: Kevin has signed a central contract today. Andy Flower will determine the progress of the re-integration process. It could be soon, it could be much later.Pietersen, born in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa, has played 88 Tests, 127 one-day matches and 36 Twenty20 internationals for England since his debut in November, 2004.The accomplished batsman has scored 7,076 Test runs at an average of 49.48 with 21 centuries and 27 half-centuries.He also has 4,184 one-day runs with nine hundreds and was man of the tournament when England won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in 2010.Flower, asked on Monday if Pietersen had been missed in Sri Lanka, said: Of course, but he wasnt available for this tournament when we selected the side.