I know that my job is to score runs, and I will continue to do that.
— Gautam Gambhir
I have always maintained that bowlers win you a cricket match whatever the format.
Sometimes in a team game, the entire spotlight is on one man.
I have always loved the big stage and would often tell my friends while growing up that I'd want to help India win the World Cup one day.
My mood depends on how I treat my toothbrushes. Being a skipper is a strenuous job, and when you are going through a rough phase, obviously you start taking out your frustration. You can't take it out on anyone: you can't take it out on your teammates or your wife. The only person that is left is your toothbrush.
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.
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.
I don't enjoy cricket. I just take it as a priority... something that I have to do.
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.
Irrespective of whether Anil Kumble is the coach or Ravi Shastri, what's more important is that India wins.
Winning is something that makes people happy.
Kolkata Knight Riders is not about me. It is about the team.
White ball cricket can be taxing on bowlers and can be a distraction for a youngster, too.
Every relation forms its own defined and non-defined rules.
One thing I realised was that everyone is different. You can't compare two human beings.
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.
When you come out of your comfort zone, you can express yourself in front of the whole world, and there was no better stage to express yourself as a batsman and as a leader than IPL.
I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia.
Some individuals relish the fact that they are not drawing attention and can quietly go about their game while others want to show off.
Our flag is our identity, and we can't disrespect or let anyone else disrespect our identity.
I like finishing the games by dominating the opposition.
I have been brought up watching the 'Rocky' series and 'First Blood' series. I am obviously a big fan of Sylvester Stallone.
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.
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.
Sportsmen do not need Bollywood or film industry; they do not need publicity: it could be the other way round.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you start beating opponents in their backyard is when you give yourself a chance to remain No.1.
No one can act like Bachchan saab or bat like Virender Sehwag.
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.
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.
Sometimes it's important to get out of that comfort zone and, I think, try new things, and sometimes you can express yourself better.
I have never played cricket for selfish reasons like scoring 800-900 runs on flat tracks to make a comeback.
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.
People make a mistake thinking that two people with identical mindset gel well.
There is no point in winning contests if you can't leave mental scars on the minds of the opposition teams.
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.
I've always wanted to do something for the defence forces - I've always said that the Army always has been my first love. It's about what they do selflessly for the country.
It's not a successful captain that makes a successful team.
I am a completely different person off the field, and my friends and family can vouch for that.
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.
According to me, there couldn't be a better choice for India's coach than Anil Kumble.
Cricket is a team game. If you want fame for yourself, go play an individual game.
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.
In India, you need to look intense to be classified a good cricketing brain.
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.
When I got dropped for the World Cup, there were times I didn't want to play anymore. I didn't want to practise. I couldn't motivate myself. Then I said, 'Look what are the options?' Cricket is the only option. Whether I play happily or sadly, it's still all I have. There are not a lot of things I am good at.
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.
