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New England cricket captain Andrew Strauss believes his troubled team has time to heal before taking on Australia in the Ashes.
Strauss vowed to restore unity in the squad following Kevin Pietersen’s dramatic resignation as skipper and the sacking of coach Peter Moores on Wednesday due to a rift between the two.
“It’s important to realise the Ashes are still quite a long way away,” Strauss told a press conference at London Test venue Lord’s on Thursday.
“There’s time for things to heal, for England to get back to playing the kind of cricket we know we need to play to beat Australia.”
The England players fly out for a tour of the West Indies on January 21 and opening batsman Strauss said the trip would be an important first step in the team’s bonding.
“I think I am right person to do the job,” he said.
“We are about playing and winning cricket matches, I’m sure that will unite us.”
He takes over a team rocked by revelations of the spat between Pietersen and Moores exactly six months before hosting the first Ashes Test.
Pietersen is widely reported to have disapproved of Moores’ approach to training and selection.
But Strauss did not believe the conflict had divided the England dressing room as much as some reports suggested.
“I don’t think the rifts are nearly as bad as people have made them out to be and England cricketers want to go out and play good cricket,” he said.
Strauss also revealed he had spoken to Pietersen after being approached to take over the captaincy and explained his reasons for accepting.
Star batsman Pietersen will remain a part of the England team.
“KP has been very supportive of me so far,” Strauss said.
“I fully believe that in everything Kevin did as England captain that he acted solely in what he felt was in the best interests of the team.
“I know Kevin extremely well and appreciate he may be bruised at the moment but he will bounce back and will be one of the most important figures going forward.”
Strauss has not featured in England’s one-day side since the 2007 World Cup and will meet selectors to discuss whether he will also take charge of the limited-overs team.
England will play a four-Test series and five one-day internationals in the Caribbean before hosting the West Indies in two Tests and three one-dayers in May.
The World Twenty20 tournament will then be staged in Britain in June with the first Ashes Test starting on July 8 in Cardiff, Wales.
Strauss, 31, skippered England to a 2-0 series victory over Pakistan in 2006 when Michael Vaughan was injured.
He was overlooked for the role during the last Ashes series, however, with Andrew Flintoff instead leading the side as Australia won 5-0.
AAP vm/gjw
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