New Test coach Stephen Fleming said he shared English cricket’s “obsession” with the Ashes and arrives with the goal to “beat the Aussies”.

Fleming was speaking to the media for the first time since being appointed in July and ahead of taking charge for the tour of South Africa in December.

Like his predecessor Brendon McCullum, Fleming is from New Zealand, the “little cousin” to Australia, in his words.

The next Ashes series is in the UK next summer, when England will look to defeat the Australians for the first time since 2015 and avenge a dismal 4-1 defeat down under last winter.

Asked if England are too obsessed with beating Australia, Fleming told BBC Sport: “No, because I have an obsession with it as well. New Zealand has an obsession with it, we love it.

“We want to beat the Aussies. We’re heavily linked to England performances. We have a deep desire to beat Australia in everything, as the little cousin. We are linked, and I’m incredibly excited about being part of it.

“You don’t think you’re ever going to get that opportunity. To have that opportunity and be part of it, I can’t wait.

“I want to be my best self and have a team that represents itself in the best possible way. I’ve got a vision of that and it’s aspirational. It will be brilliant.”

Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, did not taste victory in any of the 14 Tests he played against Australia.

He succeeds his former team-mate McCullum, who was sacked as Test coach earlier this summer, but remains as boss of the white-ball team. England won only two of McCullum’s final 10 Tests in charge, including the hammering in Australia.

Part of the criticism of England under McCullum and former captain Ben Stokes was their inability to adapt to the changing situations of Test cricket, as well as a lack of attention to detail.

Fleming is a great friend of McCullum – the pair are business partners. He described the difference between the two as being: “I’ll bet on the favourite and he’ll bet on the longest odds possible.”

On whether a Test team should have a brand or style, Fleming said: “I don’t think so. The greatest thing for a team to do is to be able to play conditions and situations.

“I’d love people to say we are well-planned, there’s a discipline and a really strong basic structure to what we’re doing, but there’s also a bit of flair.”