Hashim Amla’s tranquility is fundamental to his success, writes Sam Drury, as the South African returns to the scene of his Test triple ton...
Hashim Amla's comments ahead of day two of the second Test are unlikely to make it into any 100 Great Sporting Quotes-type list and this was certainly no Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday speech, either - although "inch by inch, play by play" seems quite apt when you consider the South African's approach to batting.
However, they did provide an insight into how one of the world's top batsmen has managed to keep churning out runs for the last 13 years in Test cricket.
"Over a career things always change subtly, here and there," he told Sky Sports in Nottingham. "Although there was technical stuff, the biggest change was mentally.
"Just understanding Test cricket, international cricket, and probably understanding how the system works. You can't take praise or criticism too seriously because either way it is going to be extreme."
Hardly ground-breaking stuff but then that is the point. It is by muting the background noise, ignoring the politics and breaking the game down to its simplest form, never getting too high or too low, that has allowed him to excel.
It is how Amla, such a consistent performer for much of his career, has overcome the occasional slump in form. Although playing against England has been fairly helpful for him in that regard, too.
Prior to the series against England last January, Amla had gone nine Test innings without making a half-century - the kind of form that has seen the back of many an England top-order batsman over the years.
Scores of seven and 12 followed in the first Test before the then-Proteas skipper rediscovered his form with a double century at Newlands and promptly resigned the captaincy.
While Alastair Cook's side went on to win the series, Amla, freed from the responsibility of leading the side, looked to be back to his best and knocks of 109 and 96 gave South Africa a consolation victory in the fourth Test at Centurion.
England left South Africa with Amla back in the runs and seemingly back to his best. There was little indication that the 18 months before they faced him again would be filled by question marks and doubts over whether the Proteas No 3 still had what it takes to thrive at Test level.
However, just one century in that time, a knock of 134 against Sri Lanka in January, and three half-centuries - with, that solitary hundred aside, a highest score of 58 - in 19 innings, showed that such concerns were not without reason.
Once more, though, a series against England appears to have been just the pick-me-up Amla needed and innings of 78 and 87 at Trent Bridge showed enough to suggest that another big score is not far away.
An ominous thought for the home side as Amla prepares to return to The Oval, scene of perhaps his greatest innings.
His unbeaten 311 against England in 2012 remains the only triple century by a South African in Test cricket and is one of three 100-plus scores for Amla in London.
Key to Amla's success against England is a fantastic record against James Anderson. He has been dismissed just twice in 16 Tests by England's premier bowler.
"To be honest with you, I think Anderson could have got me out every time I faced him," Amla said. "In cricket it goes that way sometimes, you saw those plays and misses [at Trent Bridge] - on another day you nick one so I wouldn't look too much into it."
Of course, the 34-year-old is superb when it comes to dealing with lateral movement - an average of 68.71 in England proves that - but his acceptance that in such conditions, against top-class bowlers, that you will play and miss from time to time is a crucial part of that.
"There's not much you can do when it is pitching on fourth stump and nipping away," he added.
While many batsmen have become flustered seeing the ball zip past their outside edge time and again, eventually buckling under the pressure and offering a loose shot, Amla showed again at Trent Bridge that such a situation will not faze him. It is simply part of the game.
He is willing to bide his time, wait for the bad balls and accepts that there will be times when the good ones get the better of him.
It is something England's batsmen could learn from and it is why Amla, while, at 34, perhaps not the force he once was, will continue to feature prominently in discussions between Trevor Bayliss, Joe Root and his bowlers as they try to plot their path to victory this week.
But for all their planning, and amid all the fanfare as The Oval celebrates hosting its 100th Test, it would come as little surprise if the level-headed Amla found a way to end a run of 10 Test innings without a century.
Either way, once the match is over, he will be off to Old Trafford with the chance to do it again - inch by inch, play by play.
Watch the third Test between England and South Africa - brought to you in association with Sky Ocean Rescue - live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday.