Pietersen receives Flower's backing

Pietersen was dropped for the ongoing NatWest Series against Pakistan after a moderate run of form in both the Test and one-day international formats.

Flower acknowledges that the former Ashes-winning batsman has failed to deliver for England for the past two years.

The coach has also confirmed Pietersen was not in agreement with management that a stint back in county cricket was a better remedy than another chance to make one-day international runs over the past two weeks.

That much was evident perhaps from Pietersen's infamous Twitter rant in which he accidentally leaked news to thousands that he was omitted from the one-day squad.

Flower, however, has been heartened by Pietersen's response – on loan at Surrey and in arranging more first-class opportunities with his native KwaZulu Natal next month.

With England's Ashes squad to be named on Thursday, Flower said: "I expect KP to be one of our star performers in Australia.

"I expect a lot of him. He's a very talented and hungry man, and I expect him to do great things for England in Australia."

There have been some suggestions that Pietersen might no longer be an automatic choice for the Test team.

But Flower does not subscribe to them. "I'm not thinking in those terms at all," he said.