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.
— Virat Kohli
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.
My superhero has always been Tendulkar, and it will be Tendulkar for life. He is someone who has inspired me immensely. Just watching him play for India, I used to dream of winning games for India, because he used to do it single handedly.
I have made a few mistakes early on that I admit myself, and there have been times when I have gone over the top and done things that you shouldn't do in international cricket, but that's how you learn.
I love tattoos. And mine symbolise who I really am. I have a Samurai on my left arm. At a subconscious level, I connect to this warrior and model myself on his discipline, skills and honour. There is also a tribal tattoo and a Chinese symbol of faith. I have seen a lot of people getting tattoos just because it's a trend.
You have to stay fresh and blank in your mind when you go out to bat. You complicate things, and you're gone.
I love soccer, love tennis... Roger Federer has been a favourite for a long, long time. The kind of consistency he has shown, 16 Grand Slam titles... The way he handles himself in pressure situations is admirable... He is so calm... In soccer, I'm a huge fan of Barcelona... I like watching Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and David Villa.
I'm not a nerd, don't plan to be a nerd and read books - which I can't do at all.
It undoubtedly feels nice when you are being appreciated and you get complimented by girls. Who doesn't like that? Having said that, I don't take it as any pressure.
I am a fan of the 'Rocky' films, and 'Rocky 4' is my favourite. I also like 'The Warriors.'
I feel only my friends and family need to know what is happening in my personal life.
The joy of doing well as a batsman for your country is much more than that little joy of going for a party and enjoying music. It is a completely different high, and I get high by performances. That's what I enjoy now.
Nothing extraordinary happens to a cricketer if you time his career - which is very short.
As a sportsperson, the best thing is people recognising you and loving you for what you do. For me, glamour is 100 people in the hotel feeling happy to see you.
You just feel a little odd when you don't get your kind of food. Fortunately, there are Indian restaurants all over the world.
I don't believe in signing anything and everything that comes my way. I leave it to my agency to help narrow them down for me, but I do research it myself before signing. The image of the brand and its ambassadors go hand in hand.
I've never fought with anyone. A lot of people talk to me, and they're like, 'Oh, you would have been fighting all the time when you were younger,' but I'm like, 'I never fought with anyone because I always knew that if I hurt myself, I might lose important time in my cricket career,' so I never got into any fight, ever in my life.
I get really motivated when I put on the India jersey. It is a responsibility, so I want to perform in the best way I can.
I like to always lead from the front and set an example for whoever is playing with me or around me. I like taking responsibilities. That is my natural thing.
My shopping habits... I am not very brand-conscious about clothes. I buy whatever looks good on me. Likewise, I don't just shop only in malls or high-end stores.
As a kid, I used to see how Sachin Tendulkar used to win matches under pressure for India in Sharjah or other places. So I was always keen to repeat the same in similar situations. I don't take pressure on myself when I am in the middle. I love pressure, and I always believe that pressure makes you more focused.
A lot of people tell me a lot of things about my conduct, my game, my future... but I try to stay away from their words of wisdom. I don't let it distract me. On the field, you will be facing the ball alone. If you fail, you will the only one to blame. So, you should be the one deciding for yourself.
I love playing under pressure. In fact, if there's no pressure, then I'm not in the perfect zone.
I'm a big fan of Aamir Khan... Among actresses, I like Aishwarya Rai.
I'm not someone who sits at home and doesn't like to go out, doesn't like to watch movies. I like to live my life.
Endorsements are a reward for good performance on the field, and the commitments made after signing them need to be done.
Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.
I don't really focus on these things - on what tags are given to me or what people think of me off the field - stuff like that. My main focus is always to do well on the field for the Indian cricket team. When people say good things about me off the field, I am more than happy to accept them.
It was a personal decision for me to stand and say that cricket is all I have in life, there's nothing I need to do other than cricket. If I want to achieve whatever I thought as a kid, I need to work hard and not let it go to waste.
No cricket team in the world depends on one or two players. The team always plays to win.
I always dreamt of holding the bat and winning games for India. That was my inspiration to take up cricket.
A fit body gives you confidence. And there's nothing more impressive than a great attitude, which you can wear on your sleeve. But you'll have to remember the difference between being rude and being confident.
Probably because I'm from a middle class family, I have that nature in me that I don't get too excited with big things.
I like to be myself, and I don't pretend. For instance, I don't dress up for occasions; I am what I am.
I'm not comparing myself with anyone, but I am very confident about my captaincy, as I have already led India and in the IPL also. I have confidence I can bring out each player's ability fully and also give them a lot of confidence... I would like to stick to what I know best and what I have confidence in.
In the game of cricket, a hero is a person who respects the game and does not corrupt the game. The one who doesn't or corrupts the game, they are the villain. They should be punished, and they have been punished in the past.
I feel really blessed when people start comparing me with Sachin, but I keep myself focused on my performance and not on such comparisons. I literally worship him, so I don't see too much in this comparison. No cricketer has been able to score one hundred centuries like Sachin.
Pretension is a poor joke that you play on yourself. Snap out of it. Recognise your strengths, work on your weaknesses. Real achievement is liking what you see in the mirror every morning.
On the field, aggression can sometimes be a positive emotion. It boosts performance and can lift your game. But over the years, I have learnt that restrained aggression is a better animal. That way, you will conserve your energy and won't spend yourself quickly.
I always had a sense of discipline in me. However, there was a time when I couldn't divide my time properly between off-field things and on-field assignments. The focus would be missing at times, and that would affect my preparation for matches. I managed to change that.
Whatever I am, it's natural... I don't have to pretend to be aggressive, don't have to show the opposition that I am on the field. Being aggressive comes naturally to me, helps me perform.
During my school days, I was doing a play, and my costume fell on the stage. I really wish it didn't happen.
'Border' was the first movie that I watched on the big screen. It always takes me back to my childhood.
I want to be relaxed in my personal life. I really don't like to be hassled.
I wasn't very good in academics, but I could have been if I could have studied well. I was a smart kid.
Never at any point did I feel like missing a training session. I was very keen on improving as a cricketer and as an international player.
I don't think there is anything wrong in earning money from the sport you love. If you work hard and get benefits from it, there is no harm. The day you feel that you are not working hard and are only looking at the benefits, that's where the problem is.
People from North India are generally known to be aggressive and emotional.
The people you choose to have around you make all the difference. My family and close friends keep me grounded. You have to have a mind of your own and a strong head on your shoulders. Cricket is the most important thing to me, so the rest of it pales in comparison.
I want my wardrobe to be full of good clothes, so that when I'm deciding what to wear, I don't run out of options. I love shopping!
