Pietersen still hopes for international comeback to make 10,000 Test runs for England

Sacked England batsman Kevin Pietersen is reportedly harbouring hopes of a comeback on the international Test scene for the team and become the first England player to score 10, 000 runs in the format.

Although Pietersen is the fourth highest run scorer in England's history and tops the list among current players, however, captain Alistair Cook has given his public backing to the decision to dump the player by the England board which he called 'a brave call'.

According to Sport24, Pietersen, who was axed in February after England's disastrous tour to Australia, said in an interview that he had not given up hope of an international comeback and still hopes to make 10,000 Test runs.

While his relationship with Cook appears to be beyond repair, Pietersen, who scored 8181 runs in 104 Tests after making his debut against Australia in 2005, claimed to have patched up things with Andrew Strauss after sending disparaging texts about the then captain to the touring South Africans in 2012.

Pietersen however, admitted that he was in a 'bad place' at that time and was not having a good relationship with Strauss, adding that the 'nonsense' should never have come out at all.