Kevin Pietersen has vowed to inflict the same pain on Australia in 2009 as they caused him last winter.

The 26-year-old Hampshire star has played a central role in England's demolition of the West Indies this summer after they endured a torrid Ashes tour which saw Ricky Ponting's men snatch back the biggest prize of all at the first opportunity.

Pietersen freely admits his side was humbled by Australia, but is channelling the hurt of that experience into his quest to gain revenge in two years' time.

He said: "People are still hurting from the winter. But I don't think it did England too much harm, this winter.

"Yes, we got hammered in Australia and the World Cup wasn't good for us, but we are hurting.

"Inside, we are hurting and it is the same sort of pain we want to inflict on a lot of countries that tour England, and it is the same pain we want to inflict on the Australians in 2009, so it wasn't all that bad.

"The way we are playing our cricket now is the way we want to play and the way we want to demolish the Australians in 2009."

While England returned from the southern hemisphere licking their wounds, they also came back having learned lessons which have since been reinforced by what new coach Peter Moores has drummed into them.

Pietersen said: "I just basically think it's that killer instinct, that ruthlessness that the Australian team showed us in Australia this winter.

"They were at our throats - that's what we want to do, we want to be mentally right, we want to be physically right and we just want to keep asking questions ball after ball, session after session.

"A team has to back down at some stage and that is something Peter is very, very positive about and keen on doing.

"As soon as you turn up at the ground, you are in the right frame of mind, you have got positive energy, positive vibes chucking around the dressing room.

"Positive energy breeds positive performances."

England's resurgence against a limited West Indies side has coincided with Pietersen's stunning run of form - he blasted a Test career best of 226 in the second Test victory at Headingley and amassed 438 runs at an average of 87.6 in the first three matches of the series.

He is thrilled with his current success, but is in no mood to rest on his laurels as he works to stay at the top of his game for the remainder of what he is determined will be a lengthy international career.

He said: "I think this is my 27th Test match, I have played 50-odd one day internationals - I am still pretty young in my career.

"I have probably got another seven or eight, hopefully another 10, years of playing for England, playing at the highest level.

"It has been a nice start, I have enjoyed it. Nobody goes through their career blasting it all day every single day.

"I am just appreciating the good times at the moment and just concentrating on the simple things.

"The simple things for me are making sure I prepare right and making sure I am mentally tuned in.

"My life has panned out for me and however it goes from here on in, I don't want to ever wake up on the morning of a Test match thinking I haven't prepared right."