ENGLAND batsman Joe Root has dismissed speculation that Kevin Pietersen could make an astonishing return to the team as “completely irrelevant”.

New England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves has suggested that Pietersen could force his way back into the national set-up by making an impact in county cricket.

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Pietersen, who was sacked last year by the ECB, admitted Graves’ comments were a “pleasant surprise”, but the governing body later attempted to clarify the situation with a spokesman saying “nothing has changed”.

The 34-year-old was dramatically axed in the wake of the Ashes whitewash defeat, despite being the leading run-scorer for his country in the series.

Graves’ comments have opened the debate once more but it is not a topic Root, who was dropped for that match in Sydney, was keen to discuss.

“If I ever become the chairman of the ECB then I’ll be in a position to comment on that,” he said.

“It’s completely out of my hands. They are the decisions that need to be made at the top. I’m here to play cricket, not make them. We’re in the middle of the World Cup and stuff like that is completely irrelevant to us.”

Root believes the focus on Pietersen is something of a distraction.

England suffered their third reverse of the tournament and another to either Bangladesh or Afghanistan in their two remaining group matches would end their hopes of reaching the knockout phase.

“All we can do is win these next two games and get into that quarter-final,” Root added.

“It would be great to be in that position at the end of the group stage.”

England’s continued struggles in the short-form of the game prompt many to call for Pietersen’s return, even after the fall-out of his controversial autobiography which made several claims about the culture of the England dressing room.

Pietersen is currently without a county contract, but Graves has given the 34-year-old food for thought.

“I was pleasantly surprised this morning actually,” Pietersen said.

“The previous chap (former ECB chairman Giles Clarke) was clearly (saying) that I’d been banned from playing for England and that I would never play for England again, which for me was incredibly sad because I do feel my England career was cut short and taken away from me.

“It’s come as a pleasant surprise but it’s one that I’ll obviously need to have a think through.”