Pietersen could be badly burnt by defeat

England team director Andy Flower is determined to rebuild the England team around captain Alastair Cook - without the divisive presence of Kevin Pietersen.

But Flower will not pre-empt any England and Wales Cricket Board report into the Ashes fiasco by publicly stating it is a straight choice between him and Pietersen.

Instead, he will put forward his vision to his bosses on how the team must be rebuilt around their young captain.

Flower was furious at claims he had given the board an ultimatum over Pietersen, especially because such a move would go against his insistence that a period of reflection was needed before any major decisions were taken.

But it is understood Flower recognises the need to reinforce team discipline, particularly with an emerging younger element to the England side, and he believes it will be tough to do that with Pietersen in the dressing room.

Pietersen remains professional in training and his work ethic has never been questioned, but the management have become exasperated by what they perceive to be a lackadaisical approach to warm-up matches, the manner of his dismissals in the first three Tests when he was required to bat responsibly, and the influence he has over the younger members of the side.

When the England team contained senior figures such as Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood and Graeme Swann, they were able to absorb the less positive aspects of Pietersen's character, but with Cook struggling as a captain, and young cricketers such as Joe Root and Ben Stokes becoming important members of the side, it has become harder to manage the team's most mercurial player.

Pietersen knows if the board backs Flower, his time will be up and he is determined not to disappear quietly into the life of a roaming Twenty20 traveller.

Should Cook request that Pietersen remain an England Test player, it would be hugely influential in new managing director of English cricket Paul Downton's report and final decisions.