Kevin Pietersen believes that his decision to question former England coach Peter Moores, which led to Pietersen losing the captaincy and Moores being relieved of his job, was a catalyst for England retaining the Ashes.

The two men fell out publicly two years ago, leaving the England and Wales Cricket Board with little option but to replace both of them.

Andrew Strauss was appointed skipper and Andy Flower came on as coach - at first on a temporary basis and then as a permanent - and the two men have led England on an upward curve ever since.

With England retaining the urn - the first time they have done so for 24 years - Pietersen feels that his act of rebellion has been vindicated.

"You know what ... I have never said this before ... I lost the captaincy, I got rid of the captaincy for the good of English cricket," said Pietersen.

"We would not be here today if I had not done what I did then. There is no way in this world that we would have continued under that regime and won the Ashes again in Australia after 24 years.

"Strauss and Andy Flower need all the plaudits for an unbelievable 18 months and an unbelievable preparation for this team, and they are the right leadership for this team."

Strauss is now in an elite club of England captains who can claim to have retained the Ashes in Australia, and Pietersen agrees he was the right man to take over.

Pietersen said: "He looks after himself and after everyone else, which is a great quality of a great captain.

"What he has achieved has not been achieved for 24 years, and I have always had utmost respect for Straussy.

"When he gave me the phone call and said 'the ECB want me to captain (in 2009), are you okay with that?' I said 'go for it, Straussy, you're a top man'.

"I said 'I'm a good mate of yours, go for it, do whatever you need to' - and I've been proved right. It was a good decision by the ECB."

Although Pietersen played a part in Ashes victories in 2005 and 2009, the batsman insists that retaining the urn in Australia is the greatest moment he's enjoyed so far.

"It's the best feeling in my career - nothing beats this," he said.

"As an Englishman, winning in England in 2005 was amazing after it had not been done for a certain amount of years.

"But people always talked about the fact that when you go to Australia it is a different kettle of fish - and last time we came here we got hammered."