More than four years after leaving office IndiaTest captaincy of, Virat Kohli Ultimately spoke at length about the emotional and mental burden that led him to walk away from the role. The former Indian captain admitted that the constant responsibility of handling the batting unit along with leading the team ultimately left him “completely wasted”.
Kohli, who retired from Test cricket last year after India’s series defeat in South Africa, remains the country’s most successful Test captain. During his remarkable seven-year tenure, India recorded 40 wins in 68 Test matches and became one of the most dominant red-ball teams in world cricket.
Virat Kohli considered leaving India’s Test captaincy
Speaking during the RCB Innovation Lab on Tuesday, Kohli explained how the pressure of being both India’s premier batsman and leader gradually became overwhelming.
“I got to a place where I became the focal point of our batting unit and the focal point of leadership. I didn’t realize how much weight both of those things would add to my daily life,” Kohli said.
The batting icon admitted that his tireless efforts to keep Indian cricket at the top has prevented him from focusing on his own well-being. According to Kohli, the exhaustion became visible only when he finally gave up the responsibility of captaincy.
“By the time I left the captaincy, I was completely exhausted. There was nothing left in the tank. I was completely in it. It was terrible.” He added.
Kohli’s comments offered fans a rare glimpse into the personal struggles he experienced during one of the most successful leadership eras in Indian cricket history. While India enjoyed continued success overseas and dominated the ICC Test rankings, pressure remained behind the scenes.
His decision to resign as Test captain came after India’s 1–2 series defeat in South Africa, which also resulted in the team missing out on a historic Test series win for the first time in the country. Around the same period, Kohli had already stepped down as India’s T20I captain and was later replaced as the ODI captain as well.
The rise of a fearless Test captain
Kohli’s journey as India’s Test captain began in dramatic fashion during the Adelaide Test against Australia in 2014. ms dhoniKohli, who could not play the match due to injury, scored centuries in both the innings and led India to an almost unforgettable target.
A year later, at just 26, he led India to a historic Test series win in Sri Lanka – the team’s first series win there since 1993. That win marked the beginning of a golden era under the partnership of Kohli and Ravi Shastri.
Under his leadership, India won the ICC Test Mace for five consecutive seasons and recorded one of the country’s biggest overseas achievements by defeating Australia in the 2018–19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli’s aggressive approach, unmatched fitness standards and emphasis on fast bowling transformed India into a strong Test team in all conditions.
Leadership came at personal cost
Despite success, Kohli acknowledged that leadership requires complete selflessness, leaving almost no room to focus on his own mental or emotional state.
“You’re given leadership roles because people believe you can take on more workload and still handle it,” Kohli explained.
He further said that leadership is more about understanding teammates and helping them perform at their best rather than thinking about yourself.
“To do that, you have to constantly be in a place where your attention isn’t focused on yourself. You don’t even think about someone asking you, ‘Are you OK?'” Kohli said.
His candid comments have once again highlighted the immense pressure facing modern captains while balancing expectations, performance and personal well-being.
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