You idolise Herschelle Gibbs so much that you even try to dress like him. Was the fascination still intact even when Gibbs got involved in several controversies?

•(Laughs) Do I look a lot like him? It’s just that ear-stud and dressing sense, but I’ve got bit more hair. Gibbs is my idol and nothing can change that. He has always been a great entertainer, whether he’s batting or fielding. There’s never a dull moment when he’s on the field. Nothing could ever change that, not even his rough patch in between. You don’t change idols because you have a thing or two about their styles of cricket. I wanted to be a cricketer like him growing up. I remember when I made the South African team, he told me to just believe in myself and back my abilities.

But it didn’t quite work early on for you. You made your one-day debut at 20 and it took four years before you stormed back into the international arena.

•Personally, I thought I was too young to play international cricket when I made my debut four years ago. Having said that, there are quite a few players who have made their debuts early and are doing pretty well. I realised that there was a big gap between domestic cricket and the international stage, and I wasn’t too ready to take such a major step. I realised you don’t get freebies like you do at the first-class level. I spent the time out of the national side working on my technique and temperament, determined to make amends when I got another chance.

... contd.