LONDON (Agencies) - Legendary all-rounder Ian Botham has hailed Englands ruthless 4-0 Test series thrashing of India and had predicted that Andrew Strauss men can remain as the worlds numero uno team for at least five years. Botham said a few key players like captain Strauss and his predecessor Kevin Pietersen may hang up their boots in the coming three-four years but the core of the current crop will stay longer and they can dominate the world. I cant see them getting moved for at least five or six years, maybe eight. I think for five or six years theyll stay pretty much as they are now. Two players - the captain and Pietersen - might be the two that in four or five years time might fade out, Botham said. But theyre already making plans for that. The rest of the side will go on and on with the back-up that theyve got and a manager/coach that will keep their feet on the ground, he told 'Sky Sports. With four players in the top 10 of both the ICC batting and bowling rankings, Botham said the strength and depth in the team is there for all to see. They are the best in the world. In batting, four of the England players are in the top 10 now. Youve got Bell and Cook equal third, youve got Trott at six and youve got Pietersen at eight. In the bowling department in the top 11 we have five; Anderson second, Swann third, Broad fifth, Tremlett 10th and Bresnans shot up to 11th. Thats why theyre the best side in the world, said the former England captain. Botham hailed coach Andy Flowers work and urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) not to let him leave the team. Please dont let him go anywhere else. We need him. He is the man that steers the whole ship. The captain does his bit, but as a partnership theyre excellent, he said. They (the ECB) will look after him and are obliged to look after him. There is a lot of international cricket and we always forget that the coach is there all the time. He doesnt miss the one-dayers and just play in the Tests; he is there for every single game. So Im all for giving him a break and he deserves it. With the back-room team hes got, for five one-dayers in India or wherever it is, this team will operate.