Moores is reluctant to get involved in the debate surrounding Duncan Fletcher's autobiography

Flintoff was accused by Duncan Fletcher, Moores's predecessor, of arriving for practice under the influence of alcohol.

But Moores said: "History starts for me the day I took over. That's the only fair way to go.

"To be fair to Freddie he's been great. He's got stuck in and done his work."

Flintoff came in for some heavy criticism in Fletcher's autobiography, with the Zimbabwean revealing that he had to cancel a training session in Australia last winter because the all-rounder and then captain was drunk.

Moores took over from Fletcher after the World Cup in the Caribbean, at which Flintoff was stripped of the one-day vice-captaincy after another alcohol-related incident, but has had little opportunity to work with the 29-year-old.

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The Lancashire man featured in the one-day series against India and the World Twenty20 in South Africa but is now out until next summer after a fourth operation on his troublesome left ankle.

"He went to the Twenty20 World Cup and had some pain but managed it well," said Moores. "Now he is very committed to getting stuck into his rehab, to get that sorted, and get back fit."

Moores is keen not to get dragged into the furore that has followed the serialisation of his predecessor's book.

"I saw one piece in one paper and it's not for me to comment," he said.

"Duncan's done his stuff and written his book and that's his choice. He was in there and I can't really comment."

England's three-match Test series in Sri Lanka begins on 1 December and Michael Vaughan will reassume captaincy duties after giving way to Paul Collingwood for the Twenty20 and one-day international games.

"What's been very noticeable is Michael coming back in," said Moores. "He's had a break, he's very hungry and has got a huge drive about him to win the Test series.

"Michael has been captain for a long time and been very successful so it's quite easy for him to take up the reins.