Stephen Fleming takes guard at Deccan Chronicle

As a shrewd captain who was a much acclaimed man manager, he was another in the Martin Crowe — Brendon McCullum tradition who reveled in lifting the Kiwis to play above themselves and succeeded to the extent of being the islanders’ most successful captain.

 

Today, he spreads the message of the goodness of life and how to enjoy it while still being an achiever. As the principal coach of the popular and most consistent Chennai Super Kings, Fleming can be said to have found his true métier in life. In a freewheeling chat with the Deccan Chronicle staff at Chennai office, the elegant left-hander spoke on a variety of subjects, holding the audience in thrall for an hour.

 

Excerpts

Q) You were regarded as one of the most astute captains during your playing days.  Is there one particular captain that you looked up to as a source of inspiration?

A) There is a mix to it; pieces of different people put together. The likes of Steve Waugh and Mike Atherton were inspirational figures. I just tried to take their best pieces of the captaincy and shaped it to fit my style. When I started, I was completely different and by the time my career ended I evolved with the team. Now, look at Brendon McCullum. He is leading the team phenomenally. Leadership is very important in cricket. Perhaps, cricket is the only sport controlled by players in the middle, not by the coach. Having the captain making the decision is one of the nicest part of cricket. 

 

Q) Aussies and Kiwis are known for their rivalry, but it’s different from the one of India-Pakistan. 

A) There is a love between the two countries — Australia and New Zealand. There is a similarity we share and we do love taking a bit of fun towards each other. The relationship is strong enough to do that. But there is a strong desire to beat each other, not just in sports but also in other fields such as economy. We enjoy their close proximity and a lot of value Australia brings to New Zealand. Kiwis like to think outside the box. McCullum is the best example. He is bit quirky.

 

A) It’s surely changing now. Everyone is familiar with each other. In a franchisee, Australians, South Africans and English players share the hotel and travel together. Lots of barriers and misconceptions have been broken. Now at international level, you find yourself playing against your friends. However, there are some people who are still trying to hang on to the past, while the rest are trying to move on.

 

Q) Virat Kohli is on verge of taking over Team India captaincy from M.S. Dhoni in all formats. Would you expect him to come good, given his volatile character?

A) He’s got passion. You see him change a bit over the years. But you don’t want him to change into someone who he’s not. Do you? He still has to be himself. However, he will have to be more responsible when he leads a country. He will need to understand and workout what style he wants. In the past, we have seen quite a few successful captains who were aggressive. You don’t have to be calm always. Kohli is a great player. Sometimes, captains lead by example — with the energy on the field and runs they score. The attitude on the field is may not necessarily the key component.

 

A) Not often. When he does, there is a reason for it. So there is value of being measured up when you do need to raise the ante a bit. He is pretty calculated and has good view of life. Back home in New Zealand, we are pretty much left alone. Here, everyone wants a piece of Dhoni and wants to know what he is up to all the time.

 

A) It was during the final two years ago. It was a difficult period when media broke a lot of stories. But it was such a surprise that it didn’t affect the side. The players handled it well.

 

A) No. We have got an amazing all-Blacks Rugby team. Their winning ratio is 80 per cent. They are great ambassadors for New Zealand. Rugby is so widely played like cricket in India. Cricket has surged again, through the recent Cup success. Cricket is a summer sport, while rugby played in winter. Every sport in New Zealand is chasing rugby. That it why I think New Zealand punches above its weight in a lot of areas because we have a flagship team and we are proud of them.

 

Q) With growing Indian population in New Zealand, do you expect more Indian flavour in your national team?

A) A lot of Indian youngsters who come to New Zealand for higher education play cricket at club level. The club scene is very strong. A few Indians — the likes of Deepak Patel and Ish Sodhi — have already represented the Black Caps. So, don’t be surprised to see more Indian names featuring in New Zealand line-up in next 10 years. Also, we are trying to lift the Polynesian population to take to cricket, which is not easy.