Stephen Fleming sets sights on beating Australia: ‘I have an obsession with it as well’

New England Test head coach Stephen Fleming has made it amply clear that he wants to beat Australia. That’s something he will be focusing on. Fleming’s tenure will begin in December as England travel to South Africa for a three-Test rubber. Fleming comes from New Zealand, and that’s another country that obsesses over beating Australia across all sports. As far as cricket is concerned, it’s largely the Ashes that catches attention between the two countries. Earlier this year, Australia beat England 4-1. Next year, the Aussies will visit England, and the hosts will look to avenge their humiliation.

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Fleming spoke to the media, and when he was asked if England were thinking too much about beating the Aussies, he said. "No, because I have an obsession with it as well. New Zealand has an obsession with it, we love it.

"We want to beat the Aussies. We're heavily linked to England performances. We have a deep desire to beat Australia in everything, as the little cousin. We are linked, and I'm incredibly excited about being part of it. You don't think you're ever going to get that opportunity. To have that opportunity and be part of it, I can't wait. I want to be my best self and have a team that represents itself in the best possible way. I've got a vision of that and it's aspirational. It will be brilliant.”

Fleming’s Kiwi predecessor, Brendon McCullum’s style was termed the Bazball by the English media. Initially, when he got success, it was praised a lot; however, when it failed to deliver, the criticism was scathing, eventually leading to his removal after a 2-1 defeat by tourists New Zealand a few months back. Fleming is not looking to introduce any particular style as such.

"I don't think so. The greatest thing for a team to do is to be able to play conditions and situations. I'd love people to say we are well-planned, there's a discipline and a really strong basic structure to what we're doing, but there's also a bit of flair," he said.

Fleming also let this thought be known on Brydon Carse , who was recently dropped from the England squads after his trouble with the cops at a famous party joint in Derby in August. "There are standards. We pick on runs and wickets primarily, but I think it's foolish not to also say there are standards that need to be set.

"You need to behave in accordance with your position. We're in a very privileged position, and it's understanding that privilege and what goes along with it. It can't be convenient. You can't be when it suits you to do the right things, then when you don't want it to suit you, not.

"You've got to live it every day. If we can create something when you want to live it every day and better, then that's really powerful," he said.

Prateek Srivastava is a senior sports journalist having been in the profession for two decades now. He started his print career with the India Today Group and later also worked for the Asian Age. In 2009, sensing the wind of change, he switched to the digital media and joined Mobile ESPN.