New Delhi: After years of speculation, Virat Kohli has finally broken his silence on why he stepped down from captaincy roles for both India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), citing mental fatigue and the overwhelming pressure of leadership as key reasons.
Speaking on the RCB Bold Diaries podcast, Kohli revealed that the relentless burden of leading India for nearly eight years and RCB for nine, combined with constant scrutiny over his batting form, pushed him to a breaking point.
“At one point, it did become tough for me because there was just too much happening in my career,” said Kohli. “There were expectations on me from a batting perspective in every game I played. I didn’t feel the attention ever shifted away. If not for captaincy, it was about my batting. I was exposed to it 24×7. It got very tough, and eventually, too much.”
Kohli stepped down as India’s T20 captain after the 2021 World Cup, then relinquished the RCB captaincy, and eventually quit Test leadership in 2022 following a series loss to South Africa. The former skipper said he needed to prioritize his mental well-being and find a space where he could enjoy the game again, away from the constant spotlight.
“I stepped down because I felt like I needed to be happy. I needed a space in life where I could play cricket without being judged constantly or questioned about what’s next,” he added.
Kohli also spoke about taking a month-long break from cricket in 2022, during which he did not even touch his bat, signaling how mentally drained he had become.
Reflecting on his early years, Kohli credited former India captain MS Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten for backing him during a critical phase of his career. Despite winning the Under-19 World Cup, he said he was aware that talent alone wouldn’t earn him a permanent place in the senior team.
“I was very realistic about my abilities. I knew my game wasn’t as polished as others around me. But I had one thing — determination. I wanted to make my team win, no matter what,” Kohli said.
He shared that both Dhoni and Kirsten were instrumental in giving him the No. 3 batting position and encouraged him to play with passion and authenticity.
“They told me: ‘What you represent on the field, your energy, your engagement — that’s of the biggest value to us.’ I was never seen as someone who could win games single-handedly, but they knew I would stay in the fight,” he added.
Kohli also spoke about the importance of nervous energy in cricket, saying it is a key part of staying competitive.
“You think that once you’ve scored a certain number of runs, it’ll get easier — but it doesn’t. That nervous anticipation keeps you grounded. When that disappears, that’s when you’re done.”
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