Strauss has scored 1071 runs in 11 Tests since taking charge of England
By Pranav Soneji
It's almost impossible to imagine Andrew Strauss smashing dressing room windows with his bat following debatable lbw decisions.
While that approach worked for predecessor Nasser Hussain, Strauss expresses his frustrations in a more restrained manner.
Even after England's second-innings collapse in Jamaica, the batting disintegration on the first morning of the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley or at any stage during the one-day series drubbing against Australia, Strauss has resisted the urge to rant and rave.
"There are different ways to get through to people. Shouting and screaming is one way, but that has got to be in your nature," said Strauss.
"I've lost it a couple of times, not shouting and screaming, but I have voiced my disappointment about a couple of things in the nine months or so.
"One thing [England coach] Andy Flower and I have done as much as possible is be honest. When we are feeling disappointed and let down, we will say so.
"Headingley was a good example. We had a two-hour team meeting but there was no shouting and screaming. Instead there were players saying 'we're not good enough and saying we need to improve'."
Dressed in a crisp blue blazer matched with dark jeans and sober haircut, Strauss looks like every mother's ideal of the perfect son-in-law.
But despite his sensible appearance and approach, Strauss is no soft touch. Behind the benign smile lies a steely determination, a desire to succeed - and a man who absolutely despises losing.
Another tough assignment follows as England attempt to topple South Africa off top spot in the ICC Test rankings on home soil in a four-match series, their first in the post Andrew Flintoff world.
"We've had to deal with Freddie not being around," said Strauss, who takes his team to South Africa on Saturday.
"He's had a lot of injuries - even in the Ashes series there were times when we had to deal with him not being there. It's nothing new.
"If it wasn't for our intense rivalry we have with Australia, this series against South Africa would be of far greater importance.
"They are the number one side in the world, we've just beaten Australia and we have pretences to be the number one team in the world.
"This tour will be a great gauge to see where we are as a side at the moment.
"I think we are at where the rankings say we are - I think we are number four [England are actually fifth] at the moment in Test cricket and below that in one-day cricket. There's a lot of improvement required."
Strauss is one of cricket's easier interviewees. He is polite, articulate and casts a direct gaze into his questioner's eyes when considering his responses.
The word "improvement" is also mentioned at regular intervals, which suggests he has lofty ambitions to fulfil.
Since his elevation to England captain following Kevin Pietersen's resignation in January, the 32-year-old has presided over one of the most polarised 10 months in English cricket.
Contrast his first and last Test matches in charge.
Just 230 days after an innings and 51-run humiliation in Jamaica, Strauss - drenched in frothy champagne foam - was raising aloft the Ashes urn following England's 197-run victory over Australia at The Oval.
The captaincy has given him an extra responsibility to lead from the front with the bat - and he has responded magnificently, scoring 1,071 runs, notching four centuries and averaging 51 from 11 Tests, more than seven runs higher than his career figure.
That form earned him a nomination as the ICC Cricketer of the Year, although he missed out on the award to Australia's bowling all-rounder Mitchell Johnson.
However, the love-in has been tempered by England's awful one-day performances, something which Strauss cannot deflect, especially with a five-match one-day series against South Africa to negotiate before the Test series.
"I was very disappointed in myself because I was in great form and the side desperately needed someone to go on and get hundreds, but I wasn't able to do that," said Strauss, speaking at the launch of his book Testing Times, his account of England's Ashes-winning summer.
"But you don't dwell on it for too long. You go on and think, 'this innings is the one to do it'.
STRAUSS v SOUTH AFRICA IN SA
Matches: 5
Runs: 656
Average: 72.88
Centuries: 3
Highest score: 147
"I don't think it's helpful to pile pressure on yourself, there's enough pressure on you anyway. One of the great lessons I've learned is to enjoy playing for England. If you put yourself under too much pressure then you won't do that."
With the gargantuan challenge of beating South Africa on their home turf comes the equally sizeable hurdle of toppling Graeme Smith, a man with an axe to grind following England's one-day win in the Champions Trophy in September.
Declined a runner during his epic 141 after a bout of cramp, Smith's riposte was a poorly disguised suggestion of what Strauss can expect during England's journey across the country.
"The thing I have learned from this game is that the world is round and it is going to come back somewhere in his captaincy," were Smith's exact words.
Unfazed by his rival's boisterous bark, the Johannesburg-born Strauss prefers to deflect attention away from the captains' duel and focus on his role of inspiring his 10 team-mates to excel.
"People always make these mini-battles between captains, which is fine. You certainly don't want to come second best to the opposing captain.
"But ultimately the team that wins is the one which has the most players contributing out of the 11, so the job of getting the environment right that people contribute is as important as field placings or having a big ego confrontation with the other captain."
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