New England captain Andrew Strauss insists he has the full backing of his predecessor Kevin Pietersen.

Strauss was handed the captaincy for the forthcoming tour of the West Indies after Pietersen stepped down yesterday in the wake of his row with coach Peter Moores, who was sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board following a week of fevered speculation.

Pietersen has vowed to play on despite the recent furore, and at his first press conference as England captain Strauss said: "I've spoken to Kevin a couple of times already.

"He's in a very tough situation, he's got some stuff to deal with at the moment.

"I know him well, he's a good mate. He said he will support me and I believe he will."

Pietersen's departure from the role he had held for a matter of months came against the backdrop of widespread reports that he had lost the support of a divided dressing room.

But Strauss insisted: "My experience of the dressing room is that they have always that got on well and I don't think anything has happened to change that .

"We've got strong characters and you want that. My job to manage them and make we're sure going in the right direction together. With the characters in the team I believe strongly we can do that."

Strauss also expressed his sympathy for Moores, and revealed the cracks in his relationship with Pietersen had started to show during the recent tour of India.

"Peter Moores put a huge amount of effort and enthusiasm into taking the team forward," Strauss said.

"No-one likes to see things end in this manner. He's shown a lot of integrity and I don't think he deserves to go out in this fashion."

England lost their two-Test series in India last month, when both Moores and Pietersen came under fire as the tourists threw away a winning position in the first match.

And Strauss said: "At the back end of the India tour there were signs that they weren't getting on as well as they could.

"But you've got to remember that as cricketers we were concentrating on playing and going back after the terrorist attacks. So there was a lot on our minds.

"Certainly there weren't signs that the relationship was as strained as has been said."

Strauss insists he can work together with his former captain when he returns to the ranks for the tour of the West Indies.

Strauss continued: "Kevin Pietersen has been very supportive of me so far, it's a tough situation for him and I'm sure he has his own side of the story.

"I believe he did what he felt was in the best interest of the England team.

"I've got no problems with him as a player.

"It is vitally important we can get the best out of him as a player and I believe I can work with him."

The Middlesex player revealed he had contacted Pietersen after being asked to take over by the ECB, saying "I had to think about it (the captaincy) carefully, the ECB came to me yesterday and asked if I would be interested in the job if KP was not to carry on.

"I believe I can do the job and believe I am the right person to do the job at this stage, it is important there is leadership at the moment.

"It was important I spoke to KP about the reasons I took the job."

Strauss also denied the divisions within the England team are as deep as has been suggested although he acknowledged they had to be addressed immediately.

He said: "You believe the rifts in the dressing room are greater than they are.

"From the points of view of some players and some of the management we need to get it sorted out.

"I've got some conversations with some players and I'll happily do that over the next week and move forward.

"It was clear you need a captain and coach in a good working relationship, that is the crux.

"No-one wanted to come to this situation but we have to move on from here."

The opener also admitted he had some strong ideas on the future of the team, adding: "When a full-time coach is selected it is important I sit down and discuss what my views are of the team going forward and I've got some strong views on that.

"The key is to have a united front and support each other."