4th ODI: Strauss backs Pietersen as England ‘mentor’

Star batsman can guide young team against Australia, says former captain.

BIRMINGHAM: Andrew Strauss believes Kevin Pietersen can act as a ‘mentor’ to an inexperienced England side ahead of the fourth One-Day International (ODI) match against Australia.

Pietersen now finds himself the senior player in a one-day squad where his fellow recent Ashes-winners Alastair Cook, now the regular captain, Ian Bell, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann have all been rested ahead of the return Test series in Australia starting in November.

England are currently 1-0 down in a five-match ODI series, with their convincing 88-run loss at Old Trafford separating rain-ruined no results at Headingley and again at Edgbaston.



But whatever the outcome of the series, which continues in Cardiff today, Strauss believes the experience of playing alongside Pietersen, whose 2013 has been blighted by injuries, can only benefit the likes of 22-year-old Ben Stokes.

“He can be really good with young players, actually,” said Strauss. “I think it’s good that he’s playing this one-day series, and him opening the batting in one-day cricket is an interesting and potentially quite explosive option for England to use. I hope he is playing that mentoring role and playing it well.”

Strauss added, “Kevin can be fantastic, really good and engaged in the dressing room and really go out of his way to help other people at times. You want to see him do that, because he’s at the stage of his career now where he’s got a lot to offer those young players coming through – and they all look up to him as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2013.

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