You should not remain in your comfort zone; if you want to make it big, you must challenge yourself, get out of your comfort zone, and succeed in doing well outside of your comfort areas.
No matter how talented you are or naturally gifted you are, there's no substitute to hard work if you got to maintain standards.
You need to realise that you must have something to aim for, something to drive you.
Comebacks are not at all easy. After a major surgery, the difficult part is to conquer the inner demons. It's all in the mind. Only an individual can overcome his fears.
In the IPL, you are often single-handedly responsible for the fortunes of your team. It makes you more responsible as a player.
I am not someone like A. B. de Villiers, Gayle, or Dhoni. I don't have that much power. I have to use my brain to manipulate the field and stick to my strength, which is to hit through the lines.
I'm learning from my past mistakes and trying to correct them as I move forward. Experience at the international level has probably taught me what it takes to probably go out there and get a 100 or to build an innings or to win a game.
To each his own, but my process of preparation is based on conditions, not opposition.
There are things we control - but things that are not in control, no point wasting time and energy into that.
Nothing is easy in cricket. Maybe when you watch it on TV, it looks easy. But it is not. You have to use your brain and time the ball.
People are impatient. They want things to happen overnight, and have no idea of the circumstances and situations that can surround an individual at times.
Every first-class season is important; every game is crucial, irrespective of whether you are in the Indian team or not.
My job is to help Virat in the field. He is the captain, and whenever he looks up around, I should be around to complement him and help him as much as I could.
The only pressure I feel is how I can contribute to help my team win the match. Of course, there is always the pressure to score, but then doesn't it eventually help your team win? Frankly, I don't let these things affect me.
Of course I like to watch myself bat. After every innings, match, series, I do watch my own videos whenever I get the time.
We have a lot of freedom to express ourselves. When you see us playing on the field, I guess you can make that out. This batting unit, especially, is fearless. We want to go out there and achieve the best possible result.
Once you get past 100, it is all about not making a mistake.
In international cricket, the core group in most of the teams would remain same. So you know what's expected, but they will operate in different conditions, which is why the homework about conditions is the key.
We have to win everything. The last time we went to South Africa, we had an opportunity to win the series, but things didn't work out.
It pumps me up - the whole idea of the bowler marking his run-up, popping at the crease, the crowd chanting, nerves building up. It's a very good feeling. Right from the first ball, I know I have to be at the top of my game.
