Kevin Pietersen Is New Captain Of England Cricket Team

London: Kevin Pietersen was named as captain for England's Test and One-day teams on Monday following the resignations of Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood.

The 28 years old will start by leading his adopted nation in the fourth Test starting August 7 against South Africa - the country where he was born, but which he quit to establish his career in England. "It's a great honour and a great privilege, which has turned my life around in the last 24 hours." Pietersen said at a televised news conference. "Everything is positive, it's about looking forward now and trying to achieve what we want to achieve."

Pietersen has become England's leading batsman since making his Test debut during the Ashes series against Australia in 2005 and is one of the few regular fixtures in both its Test and ODI sides.

Bopara replace Vaughan Ravi Bopara has replaced Michael Vaughan in the England squad for the forth and final Test against South Africa. Essex's Ravi Bopara is back in the squad for the first time since last December, when he made his only three previous Test appearances in Sri Lanka. The 23-year-old has a county batting average of 63.

Test squad: Kevin Pietersen (capt), Tim Ambrose (wk), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.

One-day & T20 squad: Kevin Pietersen (capt), Matt Prior (wk), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Luke Wright, Samit Patel, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Chris Tremlett.