People throw stones at you and you convert them into milestones.

When I walk into bat, I should know that 'Yes, I've prepared to the best of my ability. I couldn't have done anything better.' That is when I feel that I am ready to go out and play.

From the spinners, Anil and I have been together for a long time and I respect him a lot.

Any active sportsman has to be very focused; you've got to be in the right frame of mind. If your energy is diverted in various directions, you do not achieve the results. I need to know when to switch on and switch off: and the rest of the things happen around that. Cricket is in the foreground, the rest is in the background.

Obviously after such a long gap, one itches to get back to the game and score big runs.

I am not going to come back and play IPL. Have a few plans and may play a few matches here and there.

I get 0.5 seconds to react to a ball, sometimes even less than that. I can't be thinking of what XYZ has said about me. I need to surrender myself to my natural instincts. My subconscious mind knows exactly what to do. It is trained to react. At home, my family doesn't discuss media coverage.