Kevin Pietersen has backed Stuart Broad to make England fans forget Andrew Flintoff as the all-rounder prepared to bring the curtain down on his Test career with an Ashes win.

Flintoff is playing his final Test for England as persistent knee injuries mean he is unable to continue to play the longer form of the game. But with Flintoff faltering England have already found a "world class" replacement, according to Pietersen, in the shape of 23-year-old Broad.

Pietersen told the News of the World: "Freddie (Flintoff) has struggled with too many injuries this summer and maybe hasn't made the impact he would have liked in this thrilling series. His retirement would leave a void in any side. But in England's case, it is one that Stuart Broad, can certainly fill."

Pietersen added: "Yes, I know it is a big call. And a big burden of expectation. The last thing Stuart would want or need is to be called the new Freddie. And he won't be. He's his own player.

"He has shown in this game - and others - that he can become a world-class all-rounder for England.

"His performance in this fifth Test has shown that he has accepted the responsibility of becoming England's number one all-rounder now that Freddie is leaving the Test match scene.

"Stuart's bowling and batting are improving all the time. He is only 23 years old don't forget, and there is a lot of development yet to come from him.

"But what impresses me most about Stuart is that he has a good cricketing brain. He is clearly an intelligent cricketer, as he showed with his superb bowling on Friday afternoon.

"With Freddie bowing out, Stuart is the future."