Virat Kohli discusses retirement, recalls conversation with Rahul Dravid on ‘finding the right time’ | Cricket News

India’s superstar batter Virat Kohli on Saturday gave a sneak peek into his future plans and retirement talk as he candidly admitted that another tour to Australia might not be left in the tank for the 36-year-old.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series did not end on a high for Kohli as India conceded the series and his own form progressively worsened on tour. Despite scoring a century in the opening Test, Kohli finished with only 190 runs at sub-24 average.
Recalling his recent struggles in Australia during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab in Bengaluru, Kohli said: “I might not have another Australia tour in me, so I am at peace with whatever happened in the past.”
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Kohli immediately clarified his statement and added that retirement was not on his mind at the moment. “Don’t get nervous. I’m not making any announcements. As of now, everything is fine. I still love playing the game,” Kohli said with a chuckle to reassure his fans.
“It pretty much comes down to just the pure joy, enjoyment, competitive streak, and love for the game. And as long as that is there, I will continue to play. As I said today, I am not playing for any achievement,” Kohli said.
Conversation with Dravid
Kohli recalled a conversation with his former India head coach Rahul Dravid on timing his retirement.
“The competitive streak doesn’t allow you to find the answer [for retirement]. I had a very interesting conversation with Rahul Dravid. He said you always have to stay in touch with yourself. Figure out where you are placed in your life, and the answer is not that easy,” Kohli explained.Story continues below this ad
The former RCB captain also said he finds it tougher to maintain peak performance as he heads into the twilight of his international career.
“Now, it takes much more effort as people who have played the game for a long period of time understand. You can’t do so many things in your mid to late 30s that you can in your mid-20s. I’m at a bit of a different place in my life as well,” Kohli admitted.
“You have to make peace with whatever’s happened in your life. Like in 2014 [against England], I still had the chance to go in 2018 and do what I did. It might not have been the case this time,” he said as he reflected on a lowly Australia tour.
Kohli also exhorted the need to block out external factors and pressure while dealing with poor form. “Once you start thinking of the disappointment from the outside, then you start burdening yourself way more. That’s something I’ve surely experienced in Australia as well,” remarked Kohli.