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Colombo: After a controversial exit from Cricket, former England Cricket Captain, Kevin Pietersen has made a comeback to the English side. He has been offered a four-month fresh contract by the England and Wales Board (ECB). But he will have to undergo a 'reintegration' period before returning to the team.

The orthodox player was removed from the team in August on charges of sending 'provocative' text messages to opposing players during the Test series against South Africa.

In a joint press conference attended by Pietersen and ECB chairman Giles Clarke here on Wednesday, Clarke said it was time to reintegrate Pietersen into 'our society'.

Clarke said the board will not give any details of the process, terming it a 'private matter', "And we ask that you respect that and we will be giving no further updates."

"In our society we believe that, if an individual transgresses and the individual is concerned, recognises that and apologises for what they may have caused to those involved, then it is important, and a fabric of our society that, that individual should be given a real opportunity to be reintegrated into our society. And this principle is an essential part of having civilised and sensible ethics," he said.

Pietersen, who is working as commentator during the ongoing World Twenty20, also said that he was happy to move forward.

"I would just like to take this opportunity to apologise to my team-mates, all the England supporters and the ECB for the situation which has arisen over the last couple of months but thankfully we have drawn a line under it and it is time to move forward," Pietersen read out in a statement.

"I would like to make it very clear that at no time did I share tactical information with any of the South Africans or South African management. Playing for England is the pinnacle of any cricketer's career and I want the opportunity to do that again as soon as possible. Some of my proudest and best moments of my life have been in an England shirt and I want them to continue for as long as possible," he said.

Pietersen said he was committed to completing the reintegration process.

"We have agreed over the coming weeks and resuming my England career in all formats, hopefully until the World Cup in 2015, or as long as my body allows. I want my son growing up seeing me playing for England and I hope that one day he will put an England shirt on himself," he said.

Clarke said Kevin has apologised and they have moved on.

"Kevin will be engaged in a reintegration process which has already started today with a lengthy meeting with myself and the process will continue in early October and will be led by the England team director, Andy Flower." he added.

"Flower will determine the progress of this process and he will advise the Board when he believes that the dressing room, the England management and Kevin himself are ready for Kevin to be reconsidered for selection. Following this, it will be a matter for the national selector and the team director to determine, as always, selection, and that could be very soon or much later. It will be entirely up to them," he concluded.

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