Broad not keen on taking Flintoff's place in Test team

London, Sep 8 (ANI): England's Ashes hero Stuart Broad doesn't want to replicate all rounder Andrew Flintoff in his life and is not even that keen on taking Flintoff's place at No.7 in the Test team.

"No one can replace Fred. It is important that I focus on my qualities and don't try to be someone I'm not," Broad said.

Despite scoring five fifties in his 22-Test career, two of them in the Ashes, and having a respectable batting average of 31, Broad plays down that side of his game.

"My aim is to become a good No 8. If the top six build a platform that allows me and Graeme Swann to come and play with freedom as we did at the Oval. I just want to be awkward to bowl at," The Times quoted Broad, as saying.

Flintoff has said that Broad's batting is good enough to play as a specialist batsman and Geoff Boycott, praising the straight play of Broad, compared him to a young Garry Sobers, saying that Broad could make the same journey as Sobers from tailender.

"I don't think I can average 40 in Test cricket. That's a huge ask, even for recognised batsmen," Broad said.

The modest Nottinghamshire all-rounder really wants is to spend a night in his own bed and maybe hang a shelf or two.

"I bought a house six months ago and I've only spent about 20 nights there. When we have finished with these one-day games and the Champions Trophy, all I'm looking forward to is 2-3 weeks at home and a bit of decorating before we go to South Africa."

Andrew Flintoff is reportedly having six feet mosaics of the Ashes urn installed in the swimming pools, but Broad's ambition extends no farther than getting house painted.

Nor does he plan to decorate his body, Flintoff-style. "My mum would never let me in the house again if I had a tattoo," he said. (ANI)