“I wasn’t sure of the exact mindset you should have when you go into a Test match. So I probably became too defensive when I played my first Test match. Short balls in one-day cricket, I have never thought of just defending.”

Irrespective of whether you have talent or not, one has to work hard. Just being talented doesn’t mean anything; you can end up wasting it before you realize.

Delhi means everything to me. This city has given me everything, and I love it.

I want to elongate my cricketing career as a consistent player. I have personal goals I would like to achieve someday.

Focused & ready to go.

Tough game but happy to be on the winning side.

During my school days, I was doing a play, and my costume fell on the stage. I really wish it didn’t happen.

I always dreamt of holding the bat and winning games for India. That was my inspiration to take up cricket.

It undoubtedly feels nice when you are being appreciated and you get complimented by girls. Who doesn’t like that? Having said that, I don’t take it as any pressure.

Never at any point did I feel like missing a training session. I was very keen on improving as a cricketer and as an international player.

When you absolutely love what you do, everything just flows.

The more centuries that I am able to score, the happier I will be.

The bat is not a toy, it’s a weapon. It gives me everything in life, which helps me to do everything on the field.

Remember who you are and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

Nothing extraordinary happens to a cricketer if you time his career – which is very short.

In the game of cricket, a hero is a person who respects the game and does not corrupt the game. The one who doesn’t or corrupts the game, they are the villain. They should be punished, and they have been punished in the past.

Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.

Funny thing about the mind, It can trap and free you at the same time.

Your mind can only hold one thought at a time. Make it a positive and constructive one.

My mind has been the most discontented and restless one that ever was put into a body too small for it.

If my parents had discouraged me, I would have turned out very differently. They raised me in an open-minded, liberal environment.

If you act enthusiastic, you will become enthusiastic. A mediocre mind that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.

You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind and if you have a positive outcome you have a positive income and just to have more positivity and just to kind of laugh it off.

The heart reveals what the mind disguises.

I remember seeing RuPaul in ‘The Brady Bunch Movie,’ when she says to Jan, ‘Girl, you better work.’ And I froze it in my mind forever.