I was forced to learn a lot about psychology as a player, and as a captain to get the best out of others. There's still a lot of scepticism about it in sport and the workplace, but dealing with fluctuations of form, and pressure, and being away from home are more important than your cover-drive.

Andrew Strauss

Categorized in : Best Home Pressure Important

I should and can play better. That is going to be the challenge for me.

Andrew Strauss

should challenges play

Watching the ball is always a good starting point.

Andrew Strauss

starting-point starting balls

Glenn McGrath had a reasonable career in Australia.

Andrew Strauss

reasonable australia careers

I am extremely proud of everything I have achieved as a cricketer, and I have found myself very fortunate to play in an era when some of English cricket's greatest moments have occurred.

Andrew Strauss

eras proud play

My caddy today was a Scot and he told me that he was cheering for Australia, which I thought was a bit harsh. But generally I've been amazed at how many people have come up to me here in Scotland and said: 'I've never really watched cricket before, but I was hooked all summer.' It's great.

Andrew Strauss

scotland cheer summer

The previous generation, such as Alec Stewart and Nasser Hussain, lost to Australia on many occasions.

Andrew Strauss

hussain generations australia

We know the Victorian way of dealing with death, which was not dealing with it. You'll never get over it but having the support of a counsellor who has been there hundreds of times is so important, to help you develop strategies to cope.

Andrew Strauss

you support death way

It's incredible to watch how our cricket clubs depend on volunteers.

Andrew Strauss

depend watch how cricket

I think it's hard for one coach to do all the formats all the time, and there are a limited number of coaches who have done the hard yards already. You can have head and assistant coaches for each squad.

Andrew Strauss

think you squad time

We all live in this little bubble that we just expect to live forever and I think those of us that have been with people battling cancer, you realise, actually, this surrounds us everywhere we go.

Andrew Strauss

live think you people

I tie my wedding ring around my neck with an old shoelace. It's to remind me of why I play cricket: for my family - my wife Ruth and my boys Sam and Luca.

Andrew Strauss

me cricket family wife

I have to watch my language. I think a lot about the words I use in both the public environment and the dressing room. The language you use is a direct insight into how you are feeling.

Andrew Strauss

words feeling you language

Cricket is not rocket science. Bowlers often get wickets through perseverance, accuracy and being patient rather than trying to blast opposition teams out.

Andrew Strauss

cricket perseverance trying science

Winston Churchill inspired my leadership philosophy. I've read a huge number of his writings, especially his diaries from the Second World War. His thoughts on leadership and duty have helped me as England captain.

Andrew Strauss

thoughts me leadership war

I'm happy unless I'm not happy. And I think this is the thing with grief, there is no rhyme or reason to it and it's been completely different to how I thought it was going to be.

Andrew Strauss

thought think grief happy

I think you grieve different elements, you grieve your wife who's gone, you grieve the fact she had cancer and you had to watch her die, you grieve the fact the life you built isn't going to be the same as the one going forward. All these different elements hit you at different times.

Andrew Strauss

die you wife life

In the cricket world, with a lot of little issues that people are getting in a tizz around, I'm just like: Don't worry about it.

Andrew Strauss

cricket worry people world

If someone has cancer, it's not just them who has cancer - it's everyone around them as well and it's tough.

Andrew Strauss

everyone someone just tough

I played a very background role in terms of trying to get the environment together but Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss have done a great job.

Andrew Strauss

job great together trying

This whole quest to win the 2019 World Cup, that was my job when I was director of England cricket.

Andrew Strauss

job win cricket world