Quotes from Imran Tahir

I don't want to retire - I love the game and have a lot of respect and passion for the game.

Hampshire were the club who gave me my first chance, so I owe them a lot.

I am more South African than Pakistani now. It's a great country, and I have met so many nice people.

If I get a wicket, I just want to show people that how big that is for me.

Playing for CSK, one of the best franchises in the world, I've to show people how much I love and respect this team.

One must always love passionately.

I'm the guy who come through a lot of hard patches. I've seen a lot of hardships.

I have learnt that patience is important: patience when you bowl and also in how you handle life.

I don't bowl for personal numbers.

It's always tough for a spinner to bowl against India.

I will bowl defensively if I have to.

I have always been an attacking bowler. I am more than happy to go for a few runs and get a few wickets.

In T20, batsmen are always going after you, so a good policy is to bowl five-six dot balls in your first two-three overs so that pressure builds on the batsman, and he plays riskier shots.

My job, if someone picks me, is to come and perform. That's what we do for a living.

I really can't pinpoint why I celebrate the way I do. I just love it when I pick a wicket, and it comes naturally to me to express my joy in the manner that I do.

I want to be the guy the captain can trust.

According to me, a leg-spinner is such a character who, on his day, can win the match for you if he is bowling well and has the support of the captain and the coach.

In 2004 in England, there was one catch that was very special to me. I was bowling in a league match, and the batsman hit the ball over my head. I had to run back to between mid-off and mid-on to take the catch, and I did.

I always love challenges, and when I bowl, I always look to get wickets.

I am an attacking bowler, but I can change my plan and go however the team wants me to go.

There are not too many leg-spinners in the world, and if you look closely, Mishra bhai will stand out as one of the best.

Losses are always hard to swallow, and every sportsperson has the same feeling.

The googly and the slider are my favourite type of deliveries, and I love it when batsmen try to cut or sweep me and, while attempting those strokes, get lbw or clean bowled.

The start of the English county season - from April to mid-May when it's cold - is the same as South Africa because it seams and swings. After that, the ball starts spinning nicely, and that's when I get my wickets.