Nasser Hussain is widely regarded as the best England captain since Mike Brearley but few outside his inner sanctum are granted an insight to his daily workings and thought-processes. His public face is one of passion and immense drive but what goes on behind those steely Essex eyes, away from the glare of publicity?

"He's very relaxed," is the somewhat surprising reply from Ronnie Irani, the England and Essex all-rounder who's been in the priviledged position of captaining the captain on his rare forays into county cricket.

For Irani, still high from his own annus mirablis both as leader and player, the chance to boss England's top man is a unique privilege no other has experienced since Madras-born Hussain assumed the national reins against New Zealand in 1999,… and he's relished the opportunity. It gives him unprecedented access to one of the shrewdest cricket brains around, and it's also allowed him a close-up view of Hussain's overall development as a leader.

"He always had that burning desire to succeed, it's natural to him and he doesn't have to work at that," said Irani. "He's also always been tactically aware, so in that regard he's probably no different a captain now than when he first started off, because he's always been good in that way.

"It's amazing really, but that's not been the big change in him. The big change in him is that he's a lot more relaxed as an individual, there's no doubt about that. His individual awareness as a person is a lot more relaxed. He's always been a good bloke, well I've only known him as a good bloke because we get on very well, but he's a lot more relaxed as an individual now."

When Lancashire born Irani first journeyed south to join the Essex ranks in 1994 Hussain was still in the the middle of a three year exclusion from the Test team, but since reclaiming his batting spot in 1996 – after a successful tour captaining England 'A' in Pakistan – the former Durham University student has seemingly been on a never-ending upward spiral.

Now, with the Ashes tour Down Under he faces the greatest sporting challenge of his life and Irani, for one, believes that Hussain has exactly what it takes to make he and his team successful.

"The position he's in is a very high powered position but he's very much at ease with that. It's the biggest job in cricket pressure-wise but that is good for Nasser Hussain. He's the type of player that when the old pressure tank is turned up his natural belief and talent comes out."

In his previous incarnation as a feisty young batsman some viewed Hussain's fiery temperament as a possible liability and shied clear of his captaincy claims but Irani, who is of the same passionate and self-believing mould, has seen the tiger tamed by the thing he most craved - responsibility.

"He was always one of those people who was dedicated but he's learnt the job is such a pressure job that he needs to switch on and off, and he's developed that very well," said the bumptious all-rounder.

"He can relax when he comes back to Essex and he knows that now. That's why I think he enjoyed it and played so well for us this year, especially in the early season one-day tournament. He was just awesome the way he performed, and against some quality bowling attacks. He just comes along and relaxes for Essex, enjoys his cricket and just gets shed loads of runs."

So, has Irani been carrying around a little black book to jot down notes on Hussain's captaincy?

"There are a lot of things I see in Nasser that I make a mental note of and think "that's great" but it's the general things that stand out with him," he admitted. "The way he's passionate about his cricket and the way he's passionate about his captaincy. It stands out a mile, especially when you know him, and I think it stands out to the public as well. I don't think it did at first but it stands out now and they can see how he comes across with his passion for the captaincy and his passion for the England side.

"It is almost like it's his own team now really and as a player you look at that. You don't just pick up from him tactically because he's always been very sound tactically and he's never had to work at that - he's just got a gift of knowing the game inside out - but I would say the way he comes across has improved so much.

"He's not had to work at that for the players but more for the public perception of what he's like now. They realize now he's not just Nasser Hussain who blows his top and loses his cool with people. That's not him. What he is is passionate with people and if something needs to be done or said he'll do it and that's the sign of a good leader."

No coincidence then that Irani made such an impact on his international return during the summer under the stewardship of his good friend?

"He knew me and what he did was was back me to perform in the situation rather than go out of his way and pat me on my back and say 'come on buddy, you're going to do really well'. Because he knows me inside out and knew what I could do he just stood back and he let me get on with it. Afterwards we had a chat and crack about it but that was his management style. He knows I'm different from the rest and that you've got 11 individuals out there. He realizes that.

"He was exceptional, the way he dealt with that. He helped me immensely through me coming back onto the international stage, there's no doubt about that with the way he managed me. Getting me back in the frame initially and then when I was there getting me to perform well - he got the best out of me there's no doubt about that," said Irani emphatically.

He knows Nasser will have to do likewise during the winter if England are to improve on their appalling recent Ashes record. It will require alchemy of a sort, as all great captaincy tends to, but this time with an inverted twist as he attempts to convert Australian gold into base metal.

24 Oct, 2002