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

No cricket team in the world depends on one or two players. The team always plays to win.

I delayed my father's funeral because of cricket.

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.

In cricket, my superhero is Sachin Tendulkar. He has always been my hero and will continue to remain so. Apart from him and outside cricket, my mother has remained my inspiration. Whatever difficult time I had faced, she was always there for me. She has given me all the strength. She maintained her composure and supported me in tough times.

You have to stay fresh and blank in your mind when you go out to bat. You complicate things, and you're gone.