Former England captain Andrew Strauss has said that the row caused by ousted batsman Kevin Pietersen's claims of a 'bullying culture' in their dressing room has hurt the team more than any of the players involved.
Pietersen, who was dropped by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in February, criticised wicketkeeper Matt Prior and former team director Andy Flower in his autobiography this week.
Strauss said that the victim here really isn't Pietersen, or Flower or Prior, adding that it is actually the England team, The BBC reported.
Strauss led a team containing Pietersen to England's first Ashes win in Australia in 24 years in 2011, but their relationship was strained by revelations the following year that the batsman had sent derogatory text messages about the skipper and other teammates to members of the South Africa team they were playing at the time.
Now a television commentator, Strauss, who captained England between 2009 and 2012, later wrote in his own book that Pietersen crossed the line with the messages, and apologised after he was overheard using an offensive term in relation to the batsman when he believed he was not on air while commentating on a match in July 2014.
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Meanwhile, Pietersen revealed that he wanted to reconcile with Strauss.
Pietersen said that Strauss and he were incredibly good friends, adding that they have got a patchy relationship at the moment, and he just wishes he could give the former skipper a hug and say that can they just put that behind them.
Meanwhile Strauss described Pietersen, who is his country's fifth highest Test run-scorer, as one of England's finest players, but also defended those singled out in his fellow batsman's new book.
Strauss said that Prior had a massive impact on the English cricket team, both with the bat but also behind the scenes, adding meanwhile that Flower is a guy of complete integrity.
