Virat Kohli reveals why he quit India Test Captaincy, says he was ‘completely spent’

PTC Web Desk: Former India captain Virat Kohli has spoken openly about the emotional pressure and mental exhaustion that pushed him to step down from India’s Test captaincy in January 2022.

Kohli led India in 68 Test matches and guided the team to 40 victories, making him one of the country’s most successful captains in the longest format of the game. Before leaving the Test captaincy, he had also stepped down as India’s T20I captain and was later removed from the ODI captaincy.

Speaking at the third edition of the RCB Innovation Lab’s Indian Sports Summit, Kohli admitted that the responsibility of leading the team and performing with the bat slowly consumed him.

He said he was deeply focused on keeping Indian cricket at the top and did not realise how much pressure he was carrying every day. According to Kohli, by the time he left captaincy, he was mentally and emotionally drained.

Kohli said handling expectations became extremely difficult, especially when his form was not consistent. He added that during his best years, his main aim was to ensure that insecurity never entered the dressing room.

The batting star also credited former India head coach Ravi Shastri and the team management for supporting him during that phase.

Kohli further revealed that the period after leaving captaincy was emotionally challenging. However, he thanked former India coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour for helping him rediscover the joy of playing cricket.

He said their caring and supportive approach made him feel valued again and motivated him to perform for the team. Kohli also shared that they reminded him of everything he had already achieved in his career.

The 37-year-old enjoyed a strong run in Test cricket in 2023 and said he remains grateful to Dravid and Rathour for standing by him during one of the toughest phases of his career.