'I'm a late-night person'

Tell us something we don't know about you.
When I was 11 I had to umpire a game. I got hit in the head and got knocked out. The ball was hit straight back, hit the bail and knocked my head.

Are you restless or a patient person?
Very patient. I would not survive in India otherwise. India tests your patience.

Which is the most difficult place you have travelled to?
Bangladesh. It is just a completely different culture to anywhere else I have travelled. Things in general take time [to get done].

Who is the best at tweeting among the cricketing fraternity?
I enjoy following Ravi Bopara, and probably Stuart Broad, who tweets all the time.

And who is the funniest in the England dressing room?
Swanny [Graeme Swann]. He always likes to be the centre of attention. A sort of clown of the group, and he is good at it, very funny. He's always at me for being born in Ireland and having played for Ireland. But I don't bother to hit back; it is a waste of time. You never win.

Can you ever shut Kevin Pietersen up? He is always in the headlines for something he has said.
Shut him up? Why? He is funny. Kev is quite a controversial guy. He says what he thinks. And I like him for it. And he is a huge part of the England dressing room.

The best cricketing tip you have got?
The best thing I have heard is to be yourself and to not have regrets about how you play and what you do.

Late nights or early mornings?
Even at half-past eleven I'm struggling to get up. Late nights, definitely.

Can an Irishman ever feel fully integrated into English culture?
Absolutely. I feel more comfortable integrating to that than any other culture in the world. The English are laidback, comfortable socially, and getting along is easy.

What are the Irish better at than the English?
Rugby. I will support Ireland at rugby, but when England and Ireland are playing, I sit on the fence.

Do you have a pet?
I am getting some fish soon. I am a big Finding Nemo fan. I do go out fishing some times, and I've done it in Australia and New Zealand. The biggest I have caught is a tiny fish [the size of his hand]. Fishing is a patient game where you can get frustrated easily. But if you manage to catch a fish, you'll be delighted.

Golf or fishing?
Golf. I am good at driving.

What should hotel rooms have?
I'll tell you what I always bring with me: Xbox, projector, games, big speakers. I think hotels should have iPads and faster wireless.

What is the best ground you have played at?
Lord's. It sums up cricket for me - how the game should be played, how the whole ground perceives cricket, especially when you play a Test match there and it is a full house. It is just unbelievable.

What Olympic sport would you buy a ticket for?
Tickets are hard to come by. I would love to see the 100-metre final. I know it lasts barely nine seconds but I would love to see it. As a kid I would throw the javelin and the discus, but I never timed myself at 100 metres.

What is your favourite cricketing shot?
I love pulling.

What's the funniest ad shoot you have done?
Last year for Diwali, me and Tendo [Ryan ten Doeschate] had to dress up in traditional Indian gowns. We looked so out of place. It was hilarious.

Is there a game from history in which you want to be the player who turned the match on its head?
It would either be [Andrew] Strauss' hundred at Lord's [2009 Ashes] or [Jonathan] Trott's hundred in front of a full house at the MCG [2010-11 Ashes].