I've always maintained - a captain is only as good as his team. It is not about my leadership, it is not about me.

One needs to be clear headed. I believe in all-round fitness.

Kolkata Knight Riders is not about me. It is about the team.

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 think that a leader is someone that needs to make an impact on, off the cricket field and in their lives as well.

Our flag is our identity, and we can't disrespect or let anyone else disrespect our identity.

The day I feel like I can't contribute to the team's success, that's the day I am going to call it quits.

Yes, I'm the same grumpy Gautam who smiles very less on the field. I go very quiet before going into the match. I guess it works for me, though my team-mates keep telling me it is just a game.

I play for India, I play for the 100 million people of my country.

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.

Being an impatient guy, even off the field, I would always look to score runs and score them quickly. Sometimes I panic if runs are not coming.

Youngsters getting hooked to IPL is a dangerous sign for Indian cricket.

Whatever good or bad is said by former cricketers is considered gospel. Our media should not blow out of proportion the opinion of former cricketers.

Playing on a low surface is always difficult for anyone to play their strokes. You need to be more of a grafter.

I want to do whatever will make my team win.

I am happy to lose spots on the IPL Fairplay award list, but I cannot see my team slipping on the points table.

Any opportunity you get to play for your country and wear that blue cap is an honour.

I think Delhiites know how to party, but Kolkata has people who know how to celebrate. I think that's the main difference.

Most of my diet is low on carbohydrates and fats.

For most part of my stint as KKR leader, I have always been one of the boys: easy-going, relaxed, and a bit of a prankster.

Sometimes in a team game, the entire spotlight is on one man.

I may try and get into education. I may open a school, and that is my ultimate dream. Opening a school will give education to children, who are the future of our country. If we can educate them in a proper way, I think that will change the future of the country.

To me, form is not about scoring runs but how you feel about your game. Sometimes the runs are not there, but you know you are batting well, and that is good form for me.

I grew up playing on unprepared surfaces where your wicket depended on quickly adapting to the bounce. As a kid, I could never differentiate off-spin from leg-spin. All I looked to do was to try to hit the ball before it pitched.

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.

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.

I am an intense person on the field. I always want to win, as it matters to me a lot. That's why I never like to lose the focus or intensity.

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.

Any quality player can adjust well to the different demands. It is like a good tennis player who is expected to adjust to the clay at the French Open, the grass at Wimbledon, the hard courts of the U.S. and the heat of the Australian Open. A professional is expected to do all that.

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.

When I play for Delhi in Ranji Trophy, I try to help Delhi win, and when I play IPL for KKR, I aim to make KKR win.

Irrespective of whether Anil Kumble is the coach or Ravi Shastri, what's more important is that India wins.

I don't enjoy cricket. I just take it as a priority... something that I have to do.

There should be no cricket and Bollywood ties with Pakistan till Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism.

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.

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.

I have been brought up watching the 'Rocky' series and 'First Blood' series. I am obviously a big fan of Sylvester Stallone.

I am a very strong believer in one thing. The more physically fit you are, the more mentally fit you get.

I am a great believer that a captain is as good as his team.

I think a captain is someone who captains on the cricket field but, most of the leadership that happens is off the cricket field. It's very easy to captain people on the cricket field, but if you can start leading them off the cricket field, and show them that trust, what you have in them.

I think the only time I show my emotions and anger is on the cricket field; otherwise, I've mellowed down. And with age, I think, with age you always end up mellowing down.

When I'm playing a team sport, it's not about one individual, it's about everyone, from me to the other 23 people who were there, to all the support staff who've worked very hard behind the scenes.

I've always maintained that the problem in India is that we only give credit to big contributions.

The face of the team are the people who're playing on the cricket field. The team is not about one individual.

It used to hurt me that people thought I didn't have the technique and the temperament to play Test cricket.

I can bat in the morning, afternoon, evening, night, on ice, desert, wherever and whenever. It is almost nirvana for me. It takes me away from the stresses of life.

I think only a batsman will be able to tell you about the goose bumps he gets after hitting a perfect cover drive. I'm one of them.

I believe in backing players and helping them out with their game.

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.

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.