Strauss has regained his place in the England squad

Surrey's Mark Ramprakash thinks Andrew Strauss will go straight back into the top of the batting order for England's first Test Match against New Zealand.

Middlesex player Strauss, 30, was dropped for the Sri Lanka tour but has been recalled.

"As his past record shows he is a proven player at the highest level," batsman Ramprakash told BBC London.

"In the last year he's not reached the standards he's set but it looks like he'll go straight back into the team."

Interview:Former England batsman Mark Ramprakash

Ramprakash feels Michael Vaughan could start at three with Ian Bell dropping to six.

Ramprakash said England need to concentrate on beating the team in front of them and not worry about the Ashes in 2009.

The 38 year-old described any talk of next year's competition as a "load of nonsense."

Ramprakash has also attacked anyone calling the current England side as young and inexperienced.

He said: "We don't have to worry about our players getting older, we don't have to have half an eye on the future, we just pick the best side now and play the side in front of us."

The first match of the three Test series against New Zealand starts on 5 March.