Struggling Pietersen admits his confidence has gone

Pietersen still averages a shade under 50 in Tests for England but is without a hundred in his last 25 innings.

He has been miles below his sensational best in the current npower series against Pakistan and his only half-century in the series, when he scored 80 in the Second Test at Edgbaston, owed more to the tourists' poor catching than the quality of his own batting.

Pietersen had a difficult 2009, losing the captaincy in January following a disagreement with former England coach Peter Moores, before suffering an Achilles injury during the summer that ruled him out of the final three Ashes Tests and kept him sidelined for four months.

Even though it is 19 months since Andrew Strauss replaced him as captain, KP is still struggling to get the disappointment of losing the coveted role out of his system. "My confidence levels have been hammered and battered over the last 18 months," said the 30-year-old. "I am nowhere near the person I used to be.

"My batting technique has not really changed but it is all down to confidence. I am trying so hard to get back to where I used to be but it has been a tough road for me. Hopefully, I will get through it.

"Only three months ago I had the best week of my life, when my first son, Dylan, was born and England won the World Twenty20 but my current form for the team does concern me and I am trying to improve.

"I believe a good score is around the corner, however it doesn't matter what you do in the nets. What matters now is that I end the current barren run without a hundred."

England will be desperate for Pietersen to come good against Pakistan at Lord's in the team's final Test before the Ashes begins at Brisbane on 25 November. Intermittent rain and poor light meant no play was possible before lunch today.

When the weather finally relented, Pakistan won the toss and put England into bat in what will be very difficult conditions for Pietersen as he looks for some valuable time at the crease.
Although England hold the Ashes after prevailing 2-1 last summer, they were thrashed 5-0 in Australia in the 2006/07 series, which prompted Pietersen to play down their prospects of success this winter.

With Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne having retired from Test cricket, Australia's bowling attack is not as fearsome as it once was but Pietersen still believes Ricky Ponting's team are favourites.

"We are excited and we are in a much better place this time than we were before we went to Australia last time but we are underdogs," he told Sky Sports.

"Australia are formidable at home and have kept hammering us in Australia.

"We are quietly confident, though, that we can play a much better brand of cricket than last time."