& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

'Don't hurt KP'

AFP, London
Andrew Strauss was adamant he would have no problems working with ousted predecessor Kevin Pietersen after being confirmed as England's new Test captain.
Strauss found himself thrust into the leadership when English cricket chiefs finally decided on Wednesday the "irretrievable breakdown" between Pietersen and team coach Peter Moores meant both men had to lose their posts - even though this was just weeks before the start of the West Indies tour.
Star batsman Pietersen, however, remains in the England fold and Strauss is confident the South Africa-bom shotmaker, who averages over 50 in Tests, would continue to provide the weight of runs the team will need if they are to regain the Ashes this year.
"I have spoken to Kevin a couple of times already," said
the 31 -year-old opener.
"I know him well, he is a good mate of mine, he has said he will support me, I truly believe he will do. Clearly, it is a tough situation for him and I'm sure he has his own side of the story. I don't think he
should be vilified.
"I believe very strongly he did what he felt was in the best interests of the England team as captain and I have no problems with him as a player. It is
fantastic we have such a worldclass player in our side."
South Africa - born Pietersen's five-month reign, which only encompassed three Tests, ended in dramatic fashion after his fall out with Moores became public - and he effectively presented his employers with a'him or me'scenario.
As it turned out the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opted to do without the 28-year-old Pietersen as captain and Moores as coach.
Strauss, who led England to a 2006 series win over Pakistan when standing-in for the injured Michael Vaughan, accepted Pietersen's personality could rub people up the wrong way.
"KP is a very strong-willed person and that was one of his great strengths as England captain,” he said.
"He had a vision where he felt England cricket needed to go and he backed himself and wasn't worried about upsetting a few people on the way.
"In a way that's a very
SEE PAGE 18 COL 6
FROM PAGE 17
positive trait to have as a person and in another it's going to create confrontations.
"You need those sort of people in your team who aren't going to take a backward step and who are going to say 'the chips are down I back myself and I'm going to deliver.'
Tin just looking forward to him going out and scoring runs for England which I know he will."
England's two star players in Pietersen and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff are known not to get on.
Strauss, asked how he could unite the dressing room in such circumstances,
replied: "The reality is that it is going to take some effort on everyone's behalf. You're not just going to walk in and everything's going to be hunky-dory.
"But this England team has to go out and perform well, and we've got a duty to do that," added Strauss of a side which achieved just one Test win against a team ranked above it during Moores's time in charge, against South Africa, when the Proteas had already won last year' series.
" I don't think the rifts are as bad as they've been made out to be."
England remain without a coach for the West Indies and they've still to decide who will
captain their one-day team, although they hope both issues will be resolved within 36 hours.
Strauss, who last played a one-day international at the 2007 World Cup, said: "To be honest the one-day side is in flux in the moment and I've got a meeting with the selectors about that tomorrow (Friday)."
Last month, Strauss became the first England batsman to score hundreds in both innings of aTest in India.
Asked if captaincy would affect his form. Strauss said: "No, not really. The times I have done it recently with Middlesex and England if anything it has helped my batting."