Strauss, in his first press conference since being appointed to the director role after the England and Wales Cricket Board sacked Paul Downton, stopped short of saying there was no way back into the international set-up for fellow former England captain Pietersen, adding: "He is not banned from the side but I can give him no guarantees for the future."
Pietersen, 34, England's leading all-time run-scorer across all formats, was sent into international exile last year following the team's 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia.
Yet just hours after he made his maiden first-class triple century for Surrey yesterday, Pietersen was told by Strauss there was no prospect of him being selected by England in the immediate future -- and in practice that may mean the end of Pietersen's international career.
"I am absolutely devastated that it looks like my hopes of an England recall have been brought to a close, especially given everything that has been said and asked of me," said Pietersen in a furious attack in his column for the Daily Telegraph newspaper.