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

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.

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

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.

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.

If a youngster can come up to me and share his problems or share his experiences or share something that he does off cricket, that can obviously help you build a better relation with one-on-one, and that can help you captain him on the cricket field.

I think you need to be a leader, not a captain. You may have seen a lot of captains in this country, but the most important thing is to be a leader.

I believe in backing players and helping them out with their game.

I think only a batsman will be able to tell you about the goose bumps he gets after hitting a perfect cover drive. I'm one of them.

I can bat in the morning, afternoon, evening, night, on ice, desert, wherever and whenever. It is almost nirvana for me. It takes me away from the stresses of life.

It used to hurt me that people thought I didn't have the technique and the temperament to play Test cricket.

The face of the team are the people who're playing on the cricket field. The team is not about one individual.

I've always maintained that the problem in India is that we only give credit to big contributions.

When I'm playing a team sport, it's not about one individual, it's about everyone, from me to the other 23 people who were there, to all the support staff who've worked very hard behind the scenes.

I think the only time I show my emotions and anger is on the cricket field; otherwise, I've mellowed down. And with age, I think, with age you always end up mellowing down.

I think a captain is someone who captains on the cricket field but, most of the leadership that happens is off the cricket field. It's very easy to captain people on the cricket field, but if you can start leading them off the cricket field, and show them that trust, what you have in them.

I am a great believer that a captain is as good as his team.

I am a very strong believer in one thing. The more physically fit you are, the more mentally fit you get.

I have been brought up watching the 'Rocky' series and 'First Blood' series. I am obviously a big fan of Sylvester Stallone.

T20 runs should only be a criteria to get selected for a T20 side. The moment you start picking players in the one-day format by their T20 performance, then you are giving your domestic 50-over competitions absolutely no relevance.

When I go on to the field, it is also like my office. I have to give my 100 per cent, and I have to be really committed to it. It's all about winning.

There should be no cricket and Bollywood ties with Pakistan till Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism.

I don't enjoy cricket. I just take it as a priority... something that I have to do.

Irrespective of whether Anil Kumble is the coach or Ravi Shastri, what's more important is that India wins.