NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli has revealed that the overwhelming pressure of captaining India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for nearly a decade, coupled with constant scrutiny over his batting, led him to relinquish leadership duties in search of mental peace and happiness.
Speaking on the RCB Bold Diaries podcast, Kohli shared candid reflections on his decision to step down as captain of India’s T20 side post the 2021 World Cup, followed by quitting RCB’s leadership and eventually resigning from Test captaincy in early 2022 after the series loss to South Africa.
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“At one point, it did become tough for me because there was just too much happening in my career,” Kohli said. “There were expectations on me from a batting perspective every game that I played… It did get very tough on me, and it did get too much in the end.”
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Kohli, who also took a rare month-long break from cricket in 2022, admitted he needed to reclaim joy in the game. “That’s why I stepped down — because I felt like if I’ve decided I want to be in this place, I need to be happy… I need to play without being judged.”
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Reflecting on his early days in international cricket, Kohli credited then-captain MS Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten for backing his inclusion at No. 3 in the batting order. “They told me: ‘We want you to play your game… What you represent on the field, your energy, is of the biggest value to us.’”
Kohli emphasised the importance of nervous energy and determination in sustaining a successful career: “That very energy is what keeps you engaged… When you stop feeling it, people say you’re done.”
