London: Former England captain Andrew Strauss said on Friday it was important for the side's Ashes prospects that star batsman Kevin Pietersen regained full fitness.
Pietersen is currently sidelined with a knee problem and in his absence England struggled to 232 all out in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
Strauss retired from all cricket following a 2-0 series defeat by South Africa last year where Pietersen was dropped from the team for sending text messages critical of his captain to Proteas players.
But Strauss, who succeeded Pietersen as England captain, always insisted the texts had not hastened his retirement. And on Friday, in an interview with Sky Sports at Lord's, the former opening batsman said Pietersen was the "best player" he'd played with ....
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12:32 AM, May 18, 2013
Strauss, 35, guided England to consecutive Ashes victories over Australia in 2009 and 2011 before announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket in August last year. ...
06:27 PM, Feb 04, 2013
The former England captain said the reconciliation between the controversial batsman and other England players will not be easy. ...
01:07 PM, Oct 23, 2012
The 35-year-old's appointment as one of two past players on the ICC's cricket committee was supported unanimously by the world game's governing body. ...
06:07 PM, Oct 11, 2012
The 32-year-old batsman was cast into international exile after sending provocative text messages to South Africa players about his team-mates. ...
04:33 PM, Oct 03, 2012
Root has been tipped as a potential replacement for retired skipper Andrew Strauss at the top of the England batting order. ...
11:52 PM, Sep 17, 2012
Kevin Pietersen is not in the England squad that will defend their World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka later this month. ...
02:19 AM, Sep 13, 2012
Kevin Pietersen has been in exile since being dropped following the second Test against South Africa at Leeds. ...
08:38 AM, Sep 06, 2012
The England batsman Strauss retired earlier this week with more than 7,000 runs in 100 Tests. ...
06:26 PM, Sep 02, 2012
Flower said that Strauss deserved to be remembered as one of his country's best captains. ...
02:30 AM, Sep 01, 2012
Alastair Cook insisted he'd been taken aback by his elevation to the Eng Test captaincy following Strauss's retirement. ...
09:53 AM, Aug 31, 2012
Australian Michael Clarke, South African Graeme Smith and Strauss's team-mates lauded him for his contribution to cricket. ...
10:50 PM, Aug 30, 2012
"It's obviously disappointing to see Straussy leave us as captain and leave cricket altogether," Finn said. ...
07:49 PM, Aug 30, 2012
A win for South Africa will give them an unassailable 2-0 lead, while England need to find ways to stop Hashim Amla. ...
04:45 PM, Aug 30, 2012
The 27-year-old says he has a huge job on his hands as Andrew Strauss did an incredible job as a captain for England. ...
02:17 PM, Aug 30, 2012
The 27-year-old says he has a huge job on his hands as Andrew Strauss did an incredible job as a captain for England. ...
02:17 PM, Aug 30, 2012
The former England captain said Strauss's loss of form had been the key factor in his decision rather than his fall-out with Kevin Pietersen. ...
10:40 PM, Aug 29, 2012
A look back at Andrew Strauss' England career, from a Test debut century to a crushing series loss to South Africa. ...
04:36 PM, Aug 29, 2012
The ECB managing director is set to hold a press conference on the Strauss-KP rift at Lord's on Wednesday. ...
08:53 AM, Aug 29, 2012
Pietersen was dropped from the England side following his row over sending text messages to South African players. ...
11:37 PM, Aug 28, 2012
