Virat Kohli’s tenure as India captain was marked by triumphs in Tests globally and consistent performances in white-ball cricket, where the team reached the knockout stages regularly, especially in ODI cricket. Kohli remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches and led India to the finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. Yet, despite the success, the 37-year-old relinquished the white-ball and red-ball leadership within the space of months in September 2021 and January 2022, admitting that there was nothing more he could offer as a captain, and he was fully consumed by the responsibility. “I ended up being in a place where I became the focal point of our batting unit. And then I became the focal point of leadership. I didn’t realise how much of a load both those things will present in my daily life, to be honest. But because I was so driven and motivated to just make sure that Indian cricket stays on top, I didn’t really pay attention to it. And that’s precisely why by the time I left captaincy, I was completely spent. Like there was nothing left in the tank to give. And I was completely consumed by it. So, yes, it was gruesome,” Kohli said. Kohli also admitted that the pressure of delivering day in and day out had got to him. “It was difficult to manage expectations of, okay, if you win, you don’t score runs, then, you’re asked about your performances. And if you perform and you don’t win, you’re asked about the results. So I was always juggling between the two and trying to manage as best as I could,” Kohli said at the third edition of the RCB Innovation Lab’s Indian Sports Summit on Tuesday. Crediting Dravid and Rathour After his batting peaks in Tests between 2016 and 2019, Kohli went through a lean run in 2021 and 2022, averaging 28.21 and 26.5 in 11 and six matches, respectively. He credited the role of former head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour for reviving his Test batting form in 2023, where he scored 671 runs in eight Tests at 55.91. “Rahul bhai and Vikram Rathour. I’ve said this many times. I had a great run in Test Cricket in 2023. Whenever I see them, whenever I meet them, I always thank them from the bottom of my heart. Because they really took care of me in a way that made me feel like… ‘I want to play for them. I want to perform. I want to go out there. I want to grind it out. I want to do the hard work for them’. Because they were so caring and nurturing. And they made me realise what I have done so far. Like, even if I go to the nets today, I feel at this stage, like these youngsters are watching. And if I have bad nets in the next session, they’re going to be like… ‘This is the guy who’s been playing for 20 years’. So that’s always at the back of your mind. Like, you have to keep up with your own standards.”Story continues below this ad Kohli said he felt both Dravid and Rathour could relate to what he was going through during the lean phase. “So, they understood that. Because Rahul bhai, of course, has done that way better than a lot of people in Test Cricket at the highest level. Vikram Rathour has been around for so many years. So they understood what I was feeling. And they could relate to it. And they really took care of me mentally,” he said. The right-hander said that outside of cricket, he looked up to tennis legend Roger Federer and football star Cristiano Ronaldo for varying reasons. He said he admired the former for his “skill and finesse’ and the latter for hard work and discipline. “For skill and finesse, we have many examples. (Roger) Federer, of course, I’ve mentioned it many times. He’s been my absolute number one in terms of just the most prime, enjoyable experience of watching someone who’s just a genius with what he does, like pure magic. Apart from him, and I’ve mentioned it many times before as well, Cristiano Ronaldo. I continue to resonate with him the most because of the hard work and the discipline factor. Understanding at the age that he is, to still continue to be committed mentally,” he said.
Virat Kohli reveals why he gave up captaincy
