Cricket-England would welcome Pietersen back, Broad says

LONDON Oct 10 (Reuters) - Kevin Pietersen will be welcomed back into the England team when the controversial middle-order batsman returns to the national side, Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad said on Wednesday.

"Once the England management have decided when he's available to return, he'll be welcome back into the changing room," Broad told reporters at a book launch.

The 32-year-old Pietersen, England's best batsman in all forms of the game, has signed a new four-month contract after he was dropped in August for sending text messages about former test skipper Andrew Strauss to South Africa players during the series between the two sides. He also admitted there had been problems in the dressing room.

After lengthy negotiations, Pietersen was awarded another central contract which could be extended until September next year and will return to the England side following a "reintegration process". England start a four-test series in India next month.

"The team have no issues with KP coming back if the management decide he's ready to," Broad said.

"It's in their hands at the moment. There are some meetings going on behind closed doors and we're waiting to see the outcome of those. But from the team's perspective his integration will be easy.

"Ultimately we're playing cricket and we want guys who will score runs and take catches to help England win. Whatever's happened has happened.

"We pride ourselves on being a strong dressing room and I'm sure that if he came back for India or New Zealand, or whenever it is, that things will be fine within the team."

(Reporting by John Mehaffey, editing by Ed Osmond)