Virat’s Shocking Truth Behind Test Captaincy Exit

Virat Kohli has opened up about the reasons behind stepping down as India’s Test captain in 2022. The former skipper said handling leadership responsibilities along with batting pressure became mentally exhausting after a certain stage.

Kohli led India in 68 Test matches and registered 40 victories, making him the country’s most successful Test captain. He stepped down from the role in January 2022 after previously leaving T20I captaincy and losing ODI captaincy.

Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit, Kohli explained how he remained completely focused on keeping Indian cricket at the highest level. However, he admitted that the constant workload slowly started affecting his mental wellbeing.

Kohli said he became the central figure in both the batting unit and leadership group. According to him, he did not initially realise how much pressure those dual responsibilities were adding to his daily life.

The former captain revealed that by the end of his leadership tenure, he felt mentally drained. He said managing expectations from every direction eventually became extremely difficult and emotionally tiring.

Kohli also praised former India head coach Ravi Shastri and the team management for maintaining a positive atmosphere inside the dressing room during that phase. He credited them for helping the team stay motivated and competitive.

He further admitted that things became tougher once his batting form started declining. Balancing performance pressure and captaincy responsibilities together made the situation even more challenging for him mentally.

Kohli also spoke about the support he received after stepping down from captaincy. He thanked former India coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour for helping him rediscover his confidence and enjoy cricket again.

According to Kohli, their support played an important role in helping him return strongly in Test cricket during 2023. He said the phase after captaincy allowed him to open up more freely and focus on enjoying the game again.