Virat Kohli

I get really motivated when I put on the India jersey. It is a responsibility, so I want to perform in the best way I can.

My superhero has always been Tendulkar, and it will be Tendulkar for life. He is someone who has inspired me immensely. Just watching him play for India, I used to dream of winning games for India, because he used to do it single handedly.

I feel really blessed when people start comparing me with Sachin, but I keep myself focused on my performance and not on such comparisons. I literally worship him, so I don't see too much in this comparison. No cricketer has been able to score one hundred centuries like Sachin.

I have made a few mistakes early on that I admit myself, and there have been times when I have gone over the top and done things that you shouldn't do in international cricket, but that's how you learn.

Nothing extraordinary happens to a cricketer if you time his career - which is very short.

I don't think there is anything wrong in earning money from the sport you love. If you work hard and get benefits from it, there is no harm. The day you feel that you are not working hard and are only looking at the benefits, that's where the problem is.

People from North India are generally known to be aggressive and emotional.

You just feel a little odd when you don't get your kind of food. Fortunately, there are Indian restaurants all over the world.

Probably because I'm from a middle class family, I have that nature in me that I don't get too excited with big things.

I want my wardrobe to be full of good clothes, so that when I'm deciding what to wear, I don't run out of options. I love shopping!

Music, for me, is vital. Punjabi, Bollywood, Sufi, RnB... I listen to it all. When I'm not listening to music, you will find me chatting with friends. Off the field, I just let my instincts take over. I certainly don't think about batting, or which bowlers I'm going to face.

I've been lucky - all the ads I've got, I've got to be myself. I haven't had to act too much or tried too hard to be someone I'm not. I think that's why people sort of like them. Even the Fastrack ads I did with Genelia.

In T20, you don't have time to get distracted - it's so quick, you have to run around in the field, and while batting, you don't actually think about anything else.

I am very happy playing and showing off my talent on the cricket field and have no plans to enter Bollywood.

Becoming an inspiration for kids is great. I want to inspire them to do whatever they want to.

As a kid, even I knew everything about my favourite cricketers. I used to know everything possible. Now I see kids knowing about me. It feels good.

I don't really read a lot of newspapers. I don't pay attention to what is being said or written about me. I've had lots of experiences in the past when I got too much into it. That sort of diverts your focus.

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.

The first thing I look forward to when I am in Delhi is to spend some time with my family. It's always lovely coming back here and playing in front of my own people. It's just a special place.

There are two bowlers who I think are very tough to play against - Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.