Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has opened up on stepping down as the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain at the end of the 2021 season. The former RCB captain has claimed that he had no belief left at the end of the captaincy and had nothing left in the tank.
Kohli has guided Bangalore to the playoffs on four occasions under his captaincy since being given the role in 2013. He left the role at the end of 2021 and opened up on the time when he was stepping down. "The time when my captaincy tenure was coming to an end here, I was left with no belief, to be very honest. I was gone, the tank was absolutely empty," Kohli said during his motivational speech to the RCB women's team on Wednesday.
The Indian also added, "But that was my own perspective, that was me just an individual saying that I have seen so much of this, I can't just manage it, handle it anymore."
New beginnings for RCB
Bangalore had a forgetful campaign in 2017 and 2019, ending the season at the bottom of the table. Kohli said new people came in and created energy as they reached the playoffs in a row for the next three years from 2020-2022. "But the next season, new people came in, they had new ideas, there was another opportunity. They were excited, maybe as an individual I wasn't that excited. But they created the energy and we reached the playoffs three years in a row," Kohli said.
He admitted that the same excitement has now returned as they start a new season. "Now we start every season with the excitement that was before and I feel excited now, the person who was not up to the mark. So it is a collective responsibility, if someone is feeling down as well, the others can pull them up," he said.
I have been insecure, trying to save my reputation: Kohli
The Indian star also claimed that has been under pressure and has felt insecure. "I have needed constant reminders, even from youngsters, because they have a fresh perspective. I have been under pressure because I have played for so long, I have been insecure, I have tried my performances, my reputation like 'Oh I am Virat Kohli, I have to perform in every game. I can't afford to get out'. "But these youngsters come and tell me, 'why didn't you hit the ball?' and I was like, 'he is right'. I couldn't think about it because I am so caught up with me, me, me and what I should do and how people are looking at me and all that stuff that I forgot how to play the game," he said.
