Kevin Pietersen's plans to return to county cricket with Surrey moved a significant step closer after he endorsed reports that he is about to agree a release from his Indian Premier League contract.

Pietersen, axed by England in February 2014 after their Ashes whitewash in Australia but hoping for a still unlikely international recall, retweeted an update in the Daily Telegraph announcing the Sunrisers Hyderabad are preparing imminently to release him from his IPL commitments with them over the next two months. That will be a key development as the record-breaking 34-year-old batsman seeks a new deal with Surrey - who de-registered him at the end of last season.

New England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves reignited Pietersen's hopes of a return to the fold, contrary to the public remarks by anyone else associated with the governing body. But a pre-requisite from Graves was that Pietersen must first of all find a way back into county cricket - and then, of course, start scoring runs again. The starting point for Surrey has seemed to be his availability for all formats, starting as soon as possible.

A release from the IPL contract Pietersen secured at this year's auction last month will therefore be a major breakthrough for both parties. The situation depicted in the Daily Telegraph - for whom Pietersen is a big-name columnist - is that negotiations can soon be concluded for him to return to The Oval.

Source - Eurosport