<text>  Kevin Pietersen has been in talks with Surrey for several weeks about a possible return to county cricket after approaching senior figures at the ECB about a shock international comeback before new chairman Colin Graves was appointed. The 34-year-old batsmans hopes of an England return are gaining momentum, with Surrey seriously interested in re-signing the maverick star provided he is released from his Indian Premier League contract. Sportsmail understands Pietersen, currently exiled from the England squad after being sacked by team managing director Paul Downton, has been talking to Surreys director of cricket Alec Stewart, who is known to be open to him re-signing if he becomes available for all three formats - and not just Twenty20 cricket as he has been in the past. Kevin Pietersen has been in talks with Surrey about a possible return as he plans an England comeback . Pietersen is willing to turn his back on the Indian Premier League in order to represent England . The batsman has been talking to Surreys director of cricket Alec Stewart - who is open to his return . It emerged on Saturday that Pietersens IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad are unlikely to object to releasing the star, leaving the unlikely prospect of Pietersen forgoing the IPL to play in the County Championship second division this summer in a bid to resurrect his England career. With incoming chairman Graves showing an appetite for significant regime change at the ECB, he has told Pietersen he will be considered for England selection again if he scores heavily in county cricket. It is understood Pietersen first made contact with the ECB before Graves appointment was announced last month. There will be a change of scenery at board level with the ECB and Ive always expressed my desire to play for England again if I get the opportunity, Pietersen told Fox News on Saturday. Pietersen, pictured in 2008, would have to repair his relationship with England boss Peter Moores . It seems encouraging but Ive obviously got a few steps that Ive got to climb. It just makes perfect sense to explore different things, thats what Im doing. Ive still got more decisions to make - its the weekend now so nobody will be picking up their phones, but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday itll be very exciting hopefully. Downtons decision to sack Pietersen following last winters crushing 5-0 Ashes whitewash was welcomed by senior players in the dressing room who were further angered by the stars autobiography. The relative paucity of Pietersens current IPL deal - which at 205,000 is worth barely 20 per cent of any of his previous deals - is understood to be a factor in his willingness to return to the grind of county cricket. At the centre of his attempt to return is the imminent departure of ECB chairman Giles Clarke, who clashed repeatedly with Pietersen following his requests for special treatment over his release for IPL duty. Pietersens England future lies in the hands of new ECB chairman Colin Graves . Englands players would resist Pietersens return but their position has been weakened by their dire form since he was sacked. Theyd just have to suck it up if he does come back, said one insider on Saturday. If Pietersen - who has a debilitating knee condition - does re-sign for Surrey he would have just three County Championship games to prove himself ahead of Englands first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lords on May 21 before the Ashes later in the summer. England name their squad for the Test tour of West Indies on Wednesday, with injury doubts hanging over Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes, while Jonathan Trott is in line for a recall. 