Mumbai: Kevin Pietersen is eyeing a return to international cricket by playing for his country of birth, South Africa, saying it is "definitely still an option".

Pietersen would become eligible for South Africa in 2018 - four years after his England career was ended following the 2013-14 Ashes when he was sacked by ECB - at which point he would be 37 years old.

The chance of appearing at the 2019 World Cup, to be held in England, could appeal to him. The notion of an unlikely international return for the country of his birth was first suggested by Darren Gough, a close friend of Pietersen, and it has not been completely dismissed. "Yes, it is a thought in my head," Pietersen said.

[In an interview to The Telegraph on Saturday, Pietersen had spoken about his chances of making an England comeback. "It's not for me to say, for I haven't retired... They (Establishment in England) are reconciled to me not playing again," he said.]

One of the major fallouts during Pietersen's England career came during the 2012 series against South Africa when he sent derogatory texts about then captain Andrew Strauss to Graeme Smith.

He was left out for the final Test of that series before returning in India, where he helped them win the series.

Earlier this year, when Pietersen was initially linked with South Africa, their T20 captain Faf du Plessis was quick to play down the suggestion. "KP is a player who's had a great career for England. But certainly, from a South African perspective... he's English," he said. (PTI)