Kevin Pietersen is in negotiations to return to county cricket with Surrey - but he is still a long way from being considered by England again.

Test captain Alastair Cook and national selector James Whitaker both made that abundantly clear yesterday.

Within hours of new Surrey signing Kumar Sangakkara revealing he is expecting to play alongside Pietersen at The Oval this summer, Cook described an England return as "highly unlikely".

Whitaker reiterated previous remarks by himself and management colleagues, since Pietersen was sacked 13 months ago after England's 5-0 defeat in the 2013-14 Ashes, that the record-breaking South Africa-born batsman is "not part of our plans".

Pietersen may well soon be part of Surrey's again, however, a spokesman confirming: "We are still in discussions".

His apparently improbable hopes of reviving a famous Test career which has brought him 23 hundreds were encouraged this month when new England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves hinted impressive first-class performances with a county could provide him with the pathway he needs.

The 34-year-old has since indicated he intends to take Graves at his word, and is attempting to agree an appropriate deal.

Surrey de-registered Pietersen last September, after a summer in which he managed to play only Twenty20 cricket, but remain front-runners among his prospective employers this year.

Irrespective of the progress he and his advisers may be making on that front, however, Cook - who was present at the meeting when Pietersen was axed - holds out little hope of a Test reunion.

He told the cricketbadger.com there is little prospect of a second successful 'reintegration' for his controversial former team-mate, especially after Pietersen's criticism of management and colleagues in his autobiography.

"I think it's very unlikely," said Cook.

"There's been a hell of a lot of stuff happened, with his book and all that kind of stuff. It's a long way back from that."

Whitaker has dismissed the notion of a Pietersen comeback on several occasions since ECB managing director Paul Downton described his 'disengagement' with team-mates during the Sydney Test defeat that concluded England's whitewash in Australia at the start of last year.

After announcing the Test squad to play under Cook in the West Indies next month, Whitaker told Sky Sports News: "That's very much Kevin's decision [to play county cricket again] - and, of course, we respect that.

"But over the last 12 months, I think we have been successfully rebuilding our Test team - and over the last few days, he wasn't party to any discussion.

"He's not part of our plans."

Pietersen had earlier told Test Match Special he will "explore the options" and "tinker with a few things" - suggesting he may pull out of commitments at the Indian Premier League, which clashes with the start of the English season.

And Sri Lanka great Sangakkara said: "I'm looking forward to playing at Surrey and working with (coach) Graham Ford - and KP's coming back, I hear, so that'll be very exciting in the dressing room.

"He'll be fantastic anywhere he plays - he's just a magnificent player.

"He's been through some tough times (and) I'm sure that will shape the way he is as a person and have him thinking things through.

"I'm sure he's looking forward to knocking on that (England) door and hopefully getting in."

Pietersen added: "I have expressed my interest in trying to get back into the fold - it's something I want to do.

"There's a few things that need tinkering with, but I do want to make the right decision.

"I've got to explore the options. I'm in no rush because I really want to make the runs. I would love to get county runs.

"If I can do anything that can help me get back into it for England, then it's something I want to do. I love playing for England."