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

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.

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