London: Dismissing the idea that he might give up the Test captaincy, England opener Andrew Strauss has said he still loves the challenge of leading his team, adding that the responsibility makes him get out of bed every morning.
Strauss surrendered the one-day captaincy last year, but has no intention of passing on the Test captaincy.
Revealing his continued passion for the game, he said: “I love captaincy, I love the challenge, it is what makes me get out of bed in the morning.
“As a batsman, it can be a double-edged sword. If you are going through a bit of a bad patch and you need to spend time on your own game you can find your opportunities are a bit more limited, but on the other hand it can help you in that you have less time to think about it. In my mind thinking is overrated when it comes to batting because you want to be on autopilot as much as possible.”
“It has been a fantastic learning curve for me, the leadership stuff, learning how to manage people, learning how to try to bring everyone together, to get the best out of them. These are things I find exciting at this stage of my career,” The Independent quoted Strauss, as saying.
“Coaxing the best out of individuals is the big challenge, bigger than the tactical side of the job. You listen to commentators and they will talk about bowling changes or fielding positions but I don`t think that`s what wins you Test matches. I believe that what creates performances on the pitch is having the right off-field environment,” he said.
“When you first start [as a captain], you are a bit more conscious about what you are doing and you try to prove yourself to everyone else. After a time you get a bit more comfortable in the job. I don`t find it difficult now but I`m still loving the challenge,” Strauss added.
ANI
First Published: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 15:21