It is all about gaining in confidence with every given opportunity.
— Vijay Shankar
The team winning at the end of the day is really important.
You cannot take things for granted.
If you can keep getting better, we can set ourselves better standards every game.
The only thing that we can do is to work on all the aspects of our game.
I don't bowl indoors, as I bowl with full run-up.
I think a lot about my own game.
I would definitely say the Nidahas Trophy was a life-changing experience as a cricketer for me.
I give importance to work ethics, and there is no shortcut.
The challenges are going to be there, but how I prepare is what matters. It is very important to work on all the things required.
Sometimes you fail with the bat, and then you have to do well with the ball. When you fail with the ball, you have to do well with your willow.
I was someone who used to bat up the order. Due to different reasons, I started batting at No. 7, and that became a permanent slot for me.
If you start giving too much importance to pressure, you won't be in the present.
If I spend time visualising smashing someone, it's good to a certain extent. But when I overdid it, it put me under pressure.
Everybody has positives and negatives. I just want to learn and keep getting better.
I don't wait for someone to appreciate me for what I am doing.
My sister-in-law, my mother, grandmother, and the entire family have been the biggest support for me.
I am someone who looks to imbibe things from Kohli, Mahi bhai, or Rohit. I always believe in watching and learning from them. I have interacted with them to help me improve as a cricketer.
The first important thing is representing the country. That feeling will always be there, be it World Cup or any other tournament.
Every day is different, and every wicket is different.
Every time we wear this India jersey, it is very special for us.
It is really important to keep it simple and believe in our own strengths.
I am now bowling 135 clicks at times, and yeah, it's good.
I have been following World Cups since I was 11 years old. The competition inspires me.
I feel that if the situation arises when the skipper hands me the ball, I should be confident that I can do the job, and only then will that translate into performance.
How prepared we are mentally is very important.
I am someone who looks to be prepared for everything.
When I go the nets, I always try to learn new things.
If you can prepare yourself to the best of your abilities and react to the situation, things will fall into place.
I feel it's important for anyone to adapt; you never know what kind of situation you will walk into.
I was actually a top-order batsman when I played league cricket in Tamil Nadu. When I made my Ranji debut, I had to bat down the order.
Obviously, if I start bowling more, I will get better. To bowl more, I must be effective whenever I get to bowl - it doesn't matter if it is the 40th or the 100th over.
In the past, whenever I had a niggle, I would ignore it and let it heal on its own. Now, I tell the physio that I am facing some difficulty.
My brother, Ajay, who plays lower-division games, and I discuss cricket often.
I always look to get better in all three aspects of the game. I know I can keep getting better.
World Cup is very special because it happens once in four years, so for every individual, it's very special.
It's not about against whom we're playing. I think it's about how we play as individuals.
Being part of the World Cup team is definitely very special for any cricketer.
There are times I do single wicket bowling, and there are times I try, practise, hitting a specific length.
I want to complete my MBA but don't know when I will find time from my cricket schedule.
I have put in a lot of work on my bowling.
I like to read the situation and play accordingly.
The opportunity to play for the country itself gives you good confidence.
As a cricketer, you need to keep moving and learning every day.
I want to be an asset to the team who can bat or bowl in any position.
I just want to enjoy the game and work on all aspects - batting, bowling, and fielding. The more I enjoy my game, the better I can perform.
If I can bat against someone who is bowling 145 kph on a challenging wicket - that confidence is really important.
To be honest, at the beginning of 2019, I never thought about making my ODI debut.
I don't know how I have got this habit, but I try to play one match and give it my best - it doesn't matter which level of cricket I am playing in. It gives me satisfaction that I am not thinking about others, not competing with others.
I want to be a genuine allrounder.
