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"I'll Stop Playing, Won't Drag Myself" When Virat Kohli Confessed Retirement Thoughts

Akshita Patel

Virat Kohli on his retirement plans [Source: @Vipintiwari952/X.com]Virat Kohli on his retirement plans [Source: @Vipintiwari952/X.com]

India's finest cricketer, Virat Kohli, once told the truth regarding retirement, mental stress, and motivation. In an old interview on the popular show ‘Breakfast with Champions', Kohli revealed what could possibly make him retire from the sport one day.

Before the crucial five-match Test series against England next month, Kohli is said to be mulling retirement.

As per reports, he presumably informed the message of retirement from the Test format to the BCCI, who allegedly requested him to reconsider. Amid uncertainty over his future, Kohli once reflected on his retirement plans.

Virat Kohli Says Lack Of Passion Might Force Him To Retire

A few years ago, Virat Kohli appeared on the talk show ‘Breakfast with Champions,' hosted by Gaurav Kapur, and spoke briefly about his retirement plans.

Kohli revealed that there have been days when he woke up feeling completely disconnected from cricket. According to him, this feeling came during a tough phase in his life, when the pressure was too much to handle. But even during those times, he told himself to go out and try again.

"I've woken up feeling with a sense of detachment from what I am doing, thinking that I do not want to do this. But that has been because of excessive pressure that has been on me during a difficult phase. But still, I have had the ability to still tell myself, 'No, I will go out and try once more'," Kohli said on Breakfast with Champions.

However, he made it clear that motivation plays a big role in his life. Virat Kohli added that the day he loses the will to try again, no one can convince him to continue. While his love for winning keeps him going, he believes that the day he loses that hunger or passion, he will stop playing.

"The day you lose your will to go out and try once more, then you can't do anything, and no one can convince you. No chance. The motivation is about winning. The day I lose my passion, I will stop playing. I will never drag myself for more than my body can take," he added.

What Caused Kohli’s Fallout With BCCI?

Virat Kohli has reportedly hinted at Test retirement after being denied captaincy by the BCCI during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli was keen to lead amid Rohit Sharma’s dip in form, but the board prefers a younger leader. The BCCI has now, however, requested that Kohli play the England series as a specialist batter.