Mohammad Azharuddin

“At times, you are mentally but not physically prepared; at times, you are physically but not mentally prepared. I would be lying if I said it doesn't affect your performance. But the sooner you get over it, the better. So you discipline yourself. That is why fitness counts.”

“What is important is that I am respected both on and off the field by cricketers and fans.”

“Many of us forget who we were before we became cricketers. I remember how hard I tried to get an autograph when I was young.”

“I think Bollywood and cricket go hand in hand. Glamour attracts glamour. Cricket has become a very glamorous game now.”

“The fact that I had attained stardom never affected me too much.”

“I never played for records. If I had played for records, then I would have had many more runs against my name. If, by your performance, the team wins, then that is what is most gratifying.”

“My uncle used to play cricket. I got used to the game at home. As kids we used to all wonder seeing the bats lying around the house. As we grew older, we realised what the game was all about, and then our interest in the game grew.”

“It's always good to be under pressure. That's when you perform the best. At least, I do. It's in my nature.”

“When you are playing on the ground, you are a cricketer, but the moment you step off it, you are just another person. You need to talk to people nicely because you are who you are because of the people.”

“Emotionally, I depend only on myself. My strong belief in the Almighty carries me.”

“When you are on the field, you know exactly what is happening out there. You are in charge. You have to make the right choices. No one can decide for you.”

“It was only after I made my Duleep Trophy debut did I think I had a realistic chance to play for India. I scored a double hundred, and I realised that I had the potential to play for my country because I played the best bowlers in the country at that time.”

“I want to improve cricket at the district level because lot of hardworking players come from districts. We have produced so many great players, but now we don't have players in the Indian team. My intention is to work hard for the game of cricket.”

“I have always been communicative. I can't help it if I have been misunderstood. Sometimes, people don't like straight answers.”

“I always thought that I played better when I was the captain. If you look at my record during the six years I was captain - except for a couple of series - I did very well.”

“My strength is my humility. When you are humble, people like you.”

“You may be the best team in the world, but you can't win all the tournaments. That's what the media does not understand.”

“I had lost my grandfather just a month-and-a-half before I made my debut. I was suddenly scoring runs and getting into the fray. It was a very trying period for me. I was happy as well as sad.”

“What has happened has happened. What is done cannot be undone. There is no point in looking back and ruminating over the past. I am a forward-looking man. I want to look ahead; I want to put my past behind me. I want to make my country proud.”

“You need to protect the best players in the country. When there is so much cricket, we must work on ways to prolong their careers.”