Kent captain Rob Key is not a man to beat around the bush. He calls a spade a spade and, when he takes to a cricket field, he means business.

Although quick with a joke, his cheery demeanour is pushed to one side once he leads Kent's side out for a 'day at the office' or whenever he picks up his bat to open the innings.

In his two seasons as skipper to date, Key has won immense respect from his side, not just for his own consistent batting form and leadership skills but for fostering a friendly, yet winning, spirit among the squad.

That togetherness was an integral factor in last season's Twenty20 Cup success in Birmingham and Key believes it will hold his team in good stead again this summer.

Looking forward to his third summer at the helm, Key said: "It's a credit to what's going on at Kent that players like Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp want to come down here and play for us.

"When you consider that Justin would rather play for us than take his chances with South Africa, that's of great credit to the whole club and it's something we should all take confidence from.

"On paper, we have an improved squad and a better team but with that potential comes greater expectation and pressure – that's something we have to manage."

Key added: "If we do things right off the field, then my job on the pitch gets easier. Take last season for instance, I had eight good bowlers to turn to throughout the Twenty20 run, that's a luxury not many other skippers had.

"We've been pretty shrewd in the players we've brought in. Barring our youngsters like Sam Northeast and Paul Dixey, all the other members of the squad have done something toward us winning a game of first-class cricket.

"It's the first time I can say that in my 10 years or so with the club. That depth of quality also enhances the environment here and means I don't often have to tell people what to do, they just get on with their jobs."

Although he won the last of his 15 Test caps in South Africa over three years ago, Key still has his sights set on an England recall by filling his boots for Kent.

Now 28, he is a far more experienced batsman than when England last came calling. He has a widened his array of strokes in first-class cricket and shown a new ability to force the pace during limited over games.

Commenting on his international aspirations, Key said: "My whole philosophy and focus is to hone my own game and play as well as I can for Kent in the hope that I will again play for England.

"Some Kent supporters may think it's completely the wrong thing for me to say and may not want to hear it but the way I see it is that if I'm close to being selected for England, then Kent will also be doing well.

"I want to win and do well and I want to win and do well at the top level of Test cricket. I feel unfulfilled in that regard and if I never play for England again, I'd be very sad. I'll never give up the ghost on it and I've got to try and change a few perceptions of me but playing for England remains my driving force.

"It's why I pay my own way to Australia every winter to work with Neil Holder in Perth so that I try and get better and make the most of everything I can. If I'm batting well, then there should be good times for Kent too."