I'm the same as I am on the field as I am off the field. It's not an act. I can't be another person on the field as opposed to being off the field. I am on who I am off.
Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a board, or even a government for that matter, is important irrespective of what you do. If you are in public life it is important.
Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a board, or even a government for that matter, is important irrespective of what you do. If you are in public life, it is important.
I am professional. If I am on the field, I am 100 per cent focused on that. Off the field, I switch off.
Off the field, both India and Pakistan enjoy a healthy relationship, and that's the way it should be - friends off the field and fierce competitors on it.
First off there is no question that LaDainian is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His contributions off the field to the community of San Diego are as important as what he did on the field. What he did on the field was monumental.
It's actually a blessing to be able to walk off that field win, lose or draw. If you walk off that field healthy, that's the important thing.
People get confused with athletes, especially ultimate competitors. They think they are the same on and off the field. Once you see me on the field, I am a different person. I have a switch I can flip on and off.
Boston fans - and New York fans are the same - it doesn't matter what you do outside of baseball, they don't forgive or forget that you play in pinstripes and they don't care about your interests off the field.
There are so many fans and so many people who care deeply about this game, and it is because of these fans that we are who we are as cricketers.
It did surprise me to be made captain. The obvious issue is my English. It's not that great, so communicating with players is not always easy. But I am thriving on the responsibility, both on and off the field.
At the end of the day, when all is said and done playing this game ... it doesn't matter what you did in the field, it's what you do off the field and the lives that you touch off the field.
One of my theories is to be captain on the field and off the field, you need to totally enjoy each other's company. I don't like discussing cricket off the field.
Being respected by people on both sides of the aisle is really important to me - even in an age when giving a hearing to 'both sides' is considered a smear in some corners.
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.
An Ashes series is huge for Australian cricketers - and English cricketers for that matter - and there's always that added pressure.