India batting icon Virat Kohli has described the weight of captaining the national team, saying he was left “completely spent” when he stepped away from leadership between 2021 and 2022. The former India skipper, who continues to hold the record as the country’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins from 68 matches, said the strain came not just from strategy and responsibility, but from having to carry the batting burden while also steering the side.
Kohli on the toll of dual responsibility
Kohli said that during his captaincy spell, he gradually became the central figure for both batting output and decision-making. He explained that the constant focus—on his own performances and on the team’s outcomes—left him drained by the time his stint ended.
- Kohli felt he became the “focal point” of India’s batting unit and then the focal point of leadership.
- He admitted he underestimated how heavy the combined load would be in everyday life.
- He said his drive to keep Indian cricket at the top meant he didn’t fully register the toll at the time.
- By the time he relinquished captaincy, he described having “nothing left in the tank” to give, saying he was “completely consumed” by the role.
- He summed it up as being “gruesome.”
Balancing form, pressure and results
The 37-year-old also spoke about the relentless pressure of matching personal form with team results. Kohli said the scrutiny never paused—if India won but he failed to score runs, questions followed his batting; if he did score but the team still lost, the focus shifted to the final result.
- He said managing expectations was difficult: wins without runs brought performance questions.
- He added that scoring well but losing would still trigger discussion around outcomes.
- As a result, he described constantly juggling both areas while trying to handle the situation as best as possible.
Captaincy highlights and Test comeback context
Kohli’s comments came as a reflection of his overall captaincy impact and the subsequent personal challenges he faced. He led India to major overseas Test wins and consistent qualification for knockout stages in ICC white-ball competitions, including the 2017 Champions Trophy final and the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final.
After dominating Test cricket from 2016 to 2019, Kohli endured a lean period in 2021 and 2022, averaging 28.21 and 26.5 in those years respectively. He then returned to form in 2023, scoring 671 runs in eight Tests at an average of 55.91.
Support from Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour
Kohli credited former India head coach Rahul Dravid and former batting coach Vikram Rathour for helping him through a difficult stretch in Test cricket. He said the pair looked after him in a way that strengthened his belief and motivation to work hard again.
Speaking with warmth, Kohli said that when he sees them or meets them, he thanks them from the heart because they took care of him and made him feel that he wanted to play, perform, and grind through the hard work. He also highlighted how their support reshaped his mindset—even in the nets, he feels youngsters watching and judges his own standards accordingly.
- Kohli said Dravid and Rathour were central to his 2023 turnaround in Test cricket.
- He described their care as nurturing, saying it made him want to go out and “grind it out.”
- He said their influence helped him stay aware of his example to younger players in training.
- He explained that if he has poor sessions, he imagines youngsters thinking: “This is the guy who’s been playing for 20 years.”
- He added that this thought stays at the back of his mind, pushing him to keep standards high.
Understanding the mental side
Kohli further revealed that both Dravid and Rathour understood the mental demands of elite Test cricket and supported him during the challenging phase. He said Dravid’s experience at the highest level gave him a strong grasp of what was being felt, while Rathour’s long involvement in the sport meant they could relate to his mindset. Kohli said they looked after him mentally as much as they coached his game.
- Kohli said Dravid understood his state of mind and had done so “way better than a lot of people” at the top level.
- He noted Rathour’s long association with the game and said they could relate to what he was going through.
- Kohli said the support was specifically mental, adding that they “really took care” of him in that sense.
Kohli made the remarks at the third edition of the RCB Innovation Lab’s Indian Sports Summit on Tuesday.
