My beliefs are that good people who work hard get their rewards. There will be struggle at times and hurdles along the way - life throws up all sorts - but in the end, you will prevail if you stick to the right path.

I'm 32 now. I'm getting old. It's gone in the blink of an eye. But I won't even look back at the number of caps when I'm done: the most important thing will be remembering all the fun I've had with the guys in the dressing room and the friends I've made.

There's a lot of misunderstanding out there, particularly in the difference between religion and culture. For example, I hear people criticise Islam for arranged marriages, but that's nothing to do with Islam. It is the culture in some places, but it's actually against Islam.

People get involved not just in politics but in groups and sects and... forget the main reason why we're here: to worship Allah.

Sometimes it can feel like my bad days in Test cricket get amplified or singled out more than other players, while my good ones can fly under the radar. I'm not making excuses but over time this can get to you a little bit.

I always have a slight sense of sadness when Ramadan ends. It's such an amazing, blessed month. For me it is like a training camp for the year. You reflect on your life and things you can improve on. And it's not about food and drink, it's about learning to be a better person.

I never thought I'd be a senior player in a county side, let alone the England side. When you break into a county side, that is your aim, so it's an incredible feeling to have achieved that with England.

Yes, I see myself as a role model. And as a role model, I have to behave in a certain way.

No. 7 is not an easy position. The way you play is dictated by the pace of the game and you have to try to get quick runs. Even top players like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes find it hard.

But I think my dad's academy is one of the best. The first reason he does it is to take people away from the streets and doing all the wrong stuff and for those kids to learn a range of skills.

When shots are going for six and you're playing well, everyone is trying to big you up. Mis=hit one, get out, all the negative people come out.

I needed to step back from cricket, international cricket in particular, just to get away from the scrutiny and intensity of everything. I love it but it was too much for me.

Yuzvendra Chahal, India's leg-spinner, is another IPL teammate. He's also a great guy and very funny.

When you go into cricket you have to be streetwise.

As cricketers and professionals, with the scrutiny that is on us, we have to obviously be careful and behave ourselves.

The moment we won the World Cup is one I will never forget and would do anything just to experience again. It was the most euphoric sporting sensation you could possibly imagine.

To be part of a World Cup=winning squad was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There was no resentment or sadness from missing the later games.

People have been saying life will change for us now but me? No chance. I may be a World Cup winner but I will always be the lad who played cricket with his friends and cousins in the park on Stoney Lane in south Birmingham using an old milk crate for stumps.

I know personally as a young player when coaches came to my school that is someone you want to be like and I think that helps massively.

I have been told in the past that's my downfall but I'd rather be too nice to be honest. I set out in cricket to make friends. I'd rather people say they enjoyed playing with him and he's a good guy, not he's a good player but a bit of a so and so.

Respect is having respect for the people you play with and against, and respect for the shirt. Unity is about sticking together but also uniting the country. That was always the bigger cause for us, not just the cricket.

Social media is one of the hardest things about playing for England.

When we get to the third and fourth generation immigrant families and beyond there will be more England supporters among them, maybe even the majority. I have had British Asians tell me they support England because of me or Adil Rashid and that's great to hear.

I hope what people see in me is that I'm a normal guy, and that people who look as I do can do normal things.

Babies are born every day but truly, each one is a little miracle.

I've not experienced racism from other players. Not once. You experience ignorance but that's not the same at all, and I'm always happy to discuss things. If that helps people learn about Islam, to learn there's nothing to fear, then great, that's all part of my role.

I was so fortunate to play my club cricket at Moseley Ashfield. We had loads of Asians, white players, black players. You grow up from that knowing it just doesn't matter what religion or culture people are into, everyone is different.

Mistakes can happen. Sometimes they can build up over the course of an innings and put people even more on edge, which makes it snowball further.

In the nets, Joe Root hits the most sixes. He tries to take us down all the time. I think everyone is capable of hitting big sixes and I think I'm the best of all of them. But Jos is the one guy that everyone knows is out front. Jos is power with timing.

I needed to step back from cricket, international cricket in particular, to get away from the scrutiny and intensity. I love it but it was too much for me.

All I care about is England doing well and if that means I'm looking on for a bit, I won't lose any sleep.

No matter where I bat I try to adapt to the situation.

I like to see the kids in my area wearing England shirts, not Pakistan or India ones. A lot of it comes from the older generations but it's changing slowly, especially if people like myself and Ravi Bopara are playing for England.

Religion is very important to me. One of my aims is to try to show that you can have faith and play cricket. There can be a lot of negativity and misunderstanding of Islam.

We're just having a lot of fun and ripping each other all the time. We get stuck into each other about everything: about the football or about Fifa. Anything. It's all part of team bonding. It's all very natural.

I've opened throughout most of my career at Worcester. I understand there are guys in the team who have opened for a long time, more than me, with better records than me.

I'd never go up to somebody and start preaching, but if somebody asks I'm willing to talk about it. Often, after people have seen me praying, they'll ask and it's a chance to show how normal prayer time is and why we do it, to teach people about the religion. Not to try to change them, but to explain.

If someone dares me to do something I'll just do it.

My dad always wanted me to be a cricketer, study no chance. Once he saw that I was quite good for my age, no school. So, as soon as I did my GCSEs, I got signed by Warwickshire at 15.

I know how much of a uniting game cricket is and as a leader of the Birmingham Phoenix that is something I definitely want to promote.

I was just a normal teenager, going out with my friends, enjoying my time. I didn't really believe in anything, I didn't fast or pray.

People make mistakes along the way. Cricket means I may not always be there for everyone all the time. But when I take the field for my country, I know there are a lot of people I am representing.

I have always been a player whose form goes up and down but at the moment I feel my batting confidence is at its lowest. Negative comments can affect you and they probably have.

I'm not a massive reader of online comments but I come across the odd comment where people still question if I'm English. I find that so silly.

I have been up and down the batting order and it's difficult. People don't always realise that.

Representing England has always been a privilege and my decision to take a break from Test cricket at the end of the home summer was made to ensure that, hopefully, I can do it for a lot longer.

Since my international debut in 2014 the miles on the clock have probably crept up and Test cricket is the level where the pressure and scrutiny are greatest.

My dad and uncle were so protective so whenever someone would say or do something to harm us they were right there. They were very shy but you cross a line with them and the temper can get quite rough.

Every time that I come to Edgbaston it takes me back to some great first memories of coming here at a very young age.

In an ideal world, you knock the runs off and win the game.