Something I think everyone can learn from ...

(An excerpt from Irfan Pathan's interview on Cricinfo)

You have said you made an extra effort to not let stardom go to your head. Can you elaborate on that?

I have made an extra effort in the sense of doing normal things which I do regularly. Small small efforts like sitting on the floor to eat when I'm at home. Not everything, but whatever I can do. I try really extra hard. I think everybody should try harder to not let it affect them.

When you are playing international cricket, when there is so much hype, people only say nice things to you and about you. Everything is good, good, good, nothing is bad.

I remember when I had done well against Australia [2003-04]. I was bowling really quick, and I heard some nice things said about me. What I did the next day was go the gym and do an extra workout. I told myself, "Look, this is my life. People are going to say so many things, and I need to work hard." In doing that hard work, I did some new exercise to push myself, and after two days there was a game and I injured myself. It was a side strain, minor injury. At least I learned from that - not to push too hard, not to let what people say affect you.

I wanted to work hard. I wanted to say: This is my life; I just need to go out, bowl, run, bat; that is going to give me everything. Then I tried to shut people out, not let what they say affect me. But at the end of the day, it does affect you. There are so many people in India who say so many things. You go on flights, people say something; the driver has something to say; the paanwala has something to say; your friends have things to say. I have to put in extra effort to not let all that get to me.