An elegant left-handed batsman, Stephen Fleming was known for his tactical acumen as a captain, and was one of the most respected cricketers of his generation. Post his retirement from international cricket in 2008, he signed on as a player for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
He was later appointed as the coach of CSK and had a successful ix year stint. Currently in Chennai representing Education New Zealand, the handsome southpaw finds some time to talk to DC about sport, life and more!
Like his retired counterparts, Fleming is particular that he indulges into various activities and initiatives to keep himself busy — “I want to stay active in life. I became a coach pretty soon after my retirement from the New Zealand team. Luckily, I could develop my coaching style within a short period.”
Speaking about the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League, the 43-year-old says, “People here in TN are very much into cricket. The regional competitions will bring a lot of young players in the spotlight — and that’s good for the IPL too. I’ve watched a couple of games. Obviously, a few of my friends are involved in it. I’ve been getting a lot of information from Matthew Hayden, who is doing
commentary for the game!”
Though he is no longer a part of CSK franchise, the former New Zealand skipper gets all nostalgic when we talk about it — “Well, I coached CSK for six years. We created a good model and were successful. I learnt many things during my tenure with them I certainly miss that and right now, I enjoy the challenge of starting again as a coach with a new group of players, at Rising Pune Supergiants.”
He also reveals his favourite hangout in the city — “Whenever my family comes down, we all go to Fisherman’s Cove in ECR. It’s pretty cool there near the shore.”
So, given his close affinity with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, does he have any plans of watching MS Dhoni: The Untold Story? “I can’t wait to watch Dhoni’s biopic. Though I’ve been closely associated with Dhoni, it will be interesting to watch his story on the big screen,” reveals Fleming.
A big fan of Hindi films, Stephen loves to watch Sidharth Malhotra’s movies. “I am a great fan of the actor. He has come to New Zealand a couple of times. He has become a star already!”
About his current stay in India, Fleming says, “I’ve come to India to promote New Zealand education. It offers a high quality education that leads to globally recognised qualifications. The country’s beautiful landscapes and unique culture make for a memorable student experience.”
Along with his former Kiwi teammate Brendon McCullum, he has also explored a few business opportunities as well — “I’ve been promoting the digital cricket portal ‘CricHQ’ with Brendon. All these keep me occupied.”
And what is his take on India’s Virat Kohli? “I’m quite happy with Virat’s playing style. We can never compare Dhoni and Virat, even as players and captains. Dhoni can hide his emotions — whereas, Virat is lot more emotional in the field. He takes time to calm down his temperament. Both the players thoroughly enjoy the sport. Virat is a star in the making and his future would be pretty good,” observes Fleming.
He also suggests places for backpackers to tour in New Zealand. “Most of the places are beautiful. My favourites are Queenstown and Marlborough,” he signs off with his signature smile.
