Kumar Sangakkara hails 'match winner' Kevin Pietersen as he seeks England recall

Sri Lankan pushes Surrey teammate's case

Kevin Pietersen made his return to county cricket with Sussex on Sunday (Getty Images)

As talk of Kevin Pietersen’s return to international cricket grows, Kumar Sangakkara has said he believes that the England team would want the controversial batsmen back in the fold.

The Sri Lankan, currently the highest ranked Test batsman in the world, is now a teammate of Pietersen’s at Surrey, having joined up with the county for the start of the English domestic season.

The duo, who have 41,616 international runs between them, batted together on the first day of their season opener against Glamorgan on Sunday for a brief but entertaining 37 minutes, until Pietersen departed for 19.

However Sangakkara, who went on to make a sparkling 149 on debut for the county, was in no doubt about his much-discussed teammate.

“The presence of KP is very important. When he walks out into the middle, his confidence and aura create immediate pressure on the bowling,” he said.

“The spectators I’m sure want to watch KP out there in the middle and when you have a batsman of that stature and that ability I reckon even the side would like him there.

“I just hope they iron out their differences because I know after playing against Kevin that he’s an out and out match winner.

“I’d want to watch a match winner out there in the middle, I’d want a match winner in my side, so hopefully Kevin Pietersen can come back and play.”