At one point, when I didn't make the 2007 World Cup squad, I was very, very frustrated. Then I became very hard on myself. Whenever I used to go to the nets, or when I trained in the gym, I was very hard on myself. I couldn't sleep; I used to think a lot. Very, very desperate to make a comeback.

Ask any batsman what gives him maximum satisfaction. It's scoring runs, whether it's Ranji Trophy or any form of the game. When you get back to your room, knowing that you have scored a hundred, it gives you satisfaction.

One thing I realised was that everyone is different. You can't compare two human beings.

I came into the Indian team and was touted as someone who did well only against weaker oppositions. There were doubts creeping into my game. I was looking for support, someone to put an arm around my shoulder and say I am good and I belong to this place. Virender Sehwag is that someone for me.

No one can act like Bachchan saab or bat like Virender Sehwag.

Every relation forms its own defined and non-defined rules.

In India, you need to look intense to be classified a good cricketing brain.

If you start beating opponents in their backyard is when you give yourself a chance to remain No.1.

White ball cricket can be taxing on bowlers and can be a distraction for a youngster, too.

You need different skills to do well in 50-overs cricket. You need completely different skills to do well in Test cricket. You need different skills to do well in T20 cricket. It is not the same.

Cricket is a team game. If you want fame for yourself, go play an individual game.

When you go out on the field, you don't go out to make friends... I play to win the game and not just to compete.

Winning is something that makes people happy.

According to me, there couldn't be a better choice for India's coach than Anil Kumble.

Ravi Shastri has been claiming that Indian team was very successful under him, but he never told us that India lost ODI series to Bangladesh, lost ODI series to South Africa at home.

I would never go to a cinema hall to watch a biopic on a cricketer. I am not a big fan of people making biopics on sportsmen, especially cricketers. I think there are far bigger people who have done much more for the country, and films should be made on them.

When I am captaining a side, the way I play would be the way my team plays as well. If I will be joking around all the time, I wouldn't expect people to take me seriously.

I am a completely different person off the field, and my friends and family can vouch for that.

Sportsmen do not need Bollywood or film industry; they do not need publicity: it could be the other way round.

It's not a successful captain that makes a successful team.

I am very insecure because that's how I have played cricket. Since Under-14, I was told, 'If you don't perform, you will be dropped.' I have started living with this system.

People who are talking about banning IPL, they should think about many other things that are troubling the country. People who want to look after IPL will do.

Call me whatever you want; I'll always speak for the Army. Without understanding the extreme conditions they're in, you can't question the extreme action they take.

People are quick to form opinions online, but they're also quick to change them. If you have an opinion, stand by it and see it through. I stand by what I put up.

A small country like Israel has compulsory military training. But countries like India, that are so much bigger, have no compulsory military training, so people don't understand how the military functions. They have no knowledge of how it works, no respect for it.

There is no point in winning contests if you can't leave mental scars on the minds of the opposition teams.

I like finishing the games by dominating the opposition.

People make a mistake thinking that two people with identical mindset gel well.

I have been a part of the teams which had the original great man - Sachin Tendulkar. I remember in 2007-08 tour of Australia, Sachin paaji would get all the attention from the locals.

Some individuals relish the fact that they are not drawing attention and can quietly go about their game while others want to show off.

I have always maintained that bowlers win you a cricket match whatever the format.

I have never played cricket for selfish reasons like scoring 800-900 runs on flat tracks to make a comeback.

I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia.

I know that my job is to score runs, and I will continue to do that.

Obviously, you want to get big runs. But then, as a captain, you want to play on result-oriented wickets.

You don't want to end up with a huge tally of runs after eight games but with your team out of contention.

What happens on the field should stay on the field.

Things happen on the field. It has happened between me and other players, but we always left it out there.

My primary job is to score runs and make KKR win, and that's what I am trying to do. Rest, I don't think too much. That's how I have always played my game.

Sometime you need to give credit to the opposition.

I always believe in giving a lot of security to players. When you pick someone, you pick someone with a lot of trust and stick with that someone.

Tests are special, the format closest to my heart.

When you feel comfortable about your game, you are in a happy space, feel at peace with yourself.

A bowler will always say it's a batsman's game.

If you ask me, a batsman has very few opportunities as compared to a bowler. A bowler knows, if he gets hit for a six or a boundary, he has another delivery left to get back and take a wicket. For a batsman, one loose shot, and you are out. A bowler will always have 24 opportunities.

Sledging makes things interesting. There are no robots playing. They are humans who want to perform well for the country. So when stakes are so high, emotions will take over. Sometimes sledging gets the best out of you.

For me, it's fine to be aggressive and play hard. As long as you're not getting personal, it's fine, and you can do whatever you can to upset the opposition.

Yes, it is always good to contribute, but the most important thing is where we finish on the points table. That is more important to me than how many runs I score.

Strike rates depend on the surfaces you play on.

I genuinely do not even see the stats. It is just about the ability of the individual; what he brings to the table is all that matters.