Bangalore, Dec. 19 :    Bangalore, Dec. 19:  It's with good reason that Nasser Hussain is regarded a captain with a difference. And, it's significant that the generally unsparing Media in England doesn't go anywhere near his jugular even if the going hasn't been good. Hussain, who doesn't offer excuses and doesn't ever act the diplomat, spoke to The Telegraph exclusively on captaincy last evening. The following are excerpts On captaincy (Grins) Basically, the captain is only as good as his team. People do have this tendency of giving captains a larger than life image but, really, an overwhelming majority of the best captains have been the ones with the best teams. I do accept, though, it's also upto the captain to get the best out of his players. Mike Brearley, for example, did so. More recently, Stephen Fleming has been doing much the same. Like Brearley, I respect Fleming a lot. His team isn't high on talent, yet he brings the best out of each player. Also, Fleming remains down to earth. On whether he is his own captain Indeed. I do believe in listening to others, gathering information...At the end of the day, however, I'm my own captain. Bottomline is doing things your own way because you will yourself either live or die by the sword. So, why risk dying by embracing somebody else's thoughts rather than following your own gut feeling and instincts. I'm passionate about the game, passionate about the captaincy. On his approach as captain I don't see myself as a superior being and, clearly, nothing means more than getting my teammates' respect. I remember when I was going through a bad patch (all of 2000), it's the team which helped me pull through... They felt for me because I was one of them. In fact, I'll never forget the emotion of the moment when I regained form with a hundred in the Kandy Test this year... The team was delighted, and the emotion showed... As for me, I was happy I had returned something (to the team). Mutual respect is important. Speaking generally, I'm pleased as long as every single player has given his best shot, has been faithful to the role assigned. On captains he has learnt from-directly or indirectly In my youth, Keith Fletcher was an important figure. Indeed, he's the one who groomed me into an Essex player... Then, Graham Gooch, both at Essex and in the England side. I must confess I gained enormously by working with both at an important stage in my career... More recently, when I was vice-captain, I learnt quite a bit from Mike Atherton. On interacting with Brearley I've spoken to him, yes, but I can't claim to know him closely... Brearley, after all, isn't the person to... He has kept his dignity (by largely staying away from the limelight)... At the same time, if you ever need advice, he's there. Actually, just about a year ago, it was very nice of him to have left a message on my voicemail, congratulating me and the team for beating Pakistan in Pakistan. (Adds after a pause) Now that you've asked me, the couple of times I've sat down and had a chat, the conversation hasn't revolved around strategy and such like, but on being successful. On whether he reads out the Riot Act Occasionally... I'm not the Gooch sort of person... Ninety nine per cent of the time you'll find me relaxed and enjoying the cricket... Of course, it's not that one can't have a difference of opinion. Even as captain, I have had spats with Goughie (Darren Gough) but, next morning, we still are mates. He understands me and I understand him. That's how it should be and, if I may add, the England players are encouraged to speak their mind. On whether he, then, is an absolutely democratic captain If you're asking whether even the most inexperienced player gets to contribute (at team meetings), the answer is 'yes'. Even on the field, nothing stops a Richard Dawson or a James Foster from offering suggestions. It could even be that, at times, I seek their views. At any given point in time, it's possible they may have a different perspective, something I may not have thought of. There's no hierarchy. On whether, initially, he felt uncomfortable leading a team which had former captains Atherton and Alec Stewart Not at all... I could have felt uneasy had the two been funny. But, then, the way they handled themselves in the dressing room made it easier for me. Honestly, I haven't come across more professional cricketers. I especially miss Atherton... Miss his calm and cool presence. For me, Atherton was a rock we could always fall back on. On whether he bounced ideas off Atherton Not really, because once he was through with the captaincy, the line he took was: 'I've had my share of worrying. Now, you sort things out.' He didn't intend being offensive, yet kept himself out (of strategy)... On leading from the front Goes without saying the captain's own game must be in order. And, on the field, his body-language should always be on an even keel... Is he always under pressure to perform? I wouldn't quite agree but, then, circumstances could be such that the captain just has to deliver. This usually comes about when the team is short on experience. On whether he learnt from Steve Waugh in the last Ashes series (Laughs) Yeah... That if you have seven great batsmen - including a wicketkeeper with an outstanding average - and four great bowlers, then winning can't exactly be very difficult. On the captain and coach being on the same wavelength It's probably the most important aspect of a team, more so when there has been no previous interaction between the two. Duncan (Fletcher) and I, for example, didn't know each other from Adam... In my book, nothing can split a team more than if the captain says one thing and the coach quite something else. Frankly, you can't have a worse scenario than that. I've been fortunate that Duncan's views on the game are pretty similar to mine. In fact, he has taught me a few things. For instance, I've learnt we don't need those 'naughty- boy' nets after a defeat... On despite having been strangers to begin with, how have the coach and he hit it off so well (Smiles) Well, don't know how it happened. Basically, Duncan's such a nice bloke...He prefers staying away from the limelight and never ever tries to make himself look better. He's not doing the job to enhance his image; he's doing it to help improve English cricket. Duncan has no ulterior motives and, when he says something, everybody listens... The kind of work he does off the field enables me to wholly concentrate on the on-field affairs. The team looks up to Duncan. On the highpoint of his captaincy (Grins again) The whole of last winter... Beating Pakistan at home and, then, Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Finally, whether England's approach on the last day in Motera could have been different Given the inexperience of our attack, I don't think we could have done better. We did try everything possible.