by Our Sports Desk

England director of cricket Andrew Strauss said yesterday that it would be “madness” to lose Kevin Pietersen’s knowledge of limited overs cricket — on the day he closed the door on the 34-year-old’s ambitions of an international return.

Former England captain Strauss, who was appointed on Saturday, has a long, chequered history with Pietersen, with a lack of trust between the batsman and the England and Wales Cricket Board resulting in his non-selection for England this summer.

Yet Strauss, when informing Pietersen of his decision on Monday night, invited the Surrey batsman to be part of the future.

Strauss said: “Kevin has got brilliant experience in one-day cricket, he’s played Twenty20 competitions all around the world, he’s got some very strong views on one-day cricket and I think it would be madness not to try to get that information out of his head and help us form a strategy for English cricket going forwards.

“That’s why I asked him to be on that board. Ultimately that may be an opportunity for us to start rebuilding trust.

“But as it stands right at the moment — for a number of reasons over a long period of time — there is not trust between Kevin Pietersen and people.

“We know that, we can see it, it’s all over the airwaves for a number of months and years.

“With that in mind, I don’t believe any team can function in any sort of capacity if there’s no trust, if we don’t trust each other’s intentions.

“That’s why I’ve tried to clarify our position with Kevin Pietersen today.”

Pietersen played the last of his 104 Tests in the Ashes series defeat to Australia in January 2014 before he was sent into exile.

The issue has shrouded England cricket for over 18 months and Pietersen last month believed he had been offered a “lifeline” by incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves, who suggested there was a clean slate for everyone.

“This has been an unbelievably difficult topic for everyone,” Strauss added.

“Myself, Tom (Harrison, the ECB chief executive) and Colin Graves have come to the conclusion this is the best way forward for English cricket. We’re absolutely completely in line on this.”

Pietersen made an unbeaten 355 in Surrey’s County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire at the Oval.

Speaking across London at Lord’s, Strauss said: “I’ve said he’s not part of our selection plans because there’s no trust there. I don’t think you can operate if there’s no trust.

“In the long-term, who knows what might happen? Maybe we might find a way of rebuilding that trust. I’ve made no guarantees to him long term.

“By providing clarity hopefully it provides an opportunity for our young players to go forward without this cloud hanging over their heads and providing pressure that they don’t need.”