Virat Kohli on Family, Retirement & Australia Tour: Key Takeaways from RCB Summit

Ahead of IPL 2025, Virat Kohli spoke candidly at the RCB Innovational Lab Indian Sports Summit, addressing key aspects of his cricketing journey. From the role of family in international tours to his most intense disappointments and thoughts on retirement, Kohli shared deep insights into his mindset.

Key Takeaways

– Family on Tours: Kohli believes families help players stay grounded.

– Biggest Disappointment: The recent Australia tour hurt the most.

– Neeraj Chopra Praise: Calls him a composed, self-driven athlete.

– Retirement Talks?: No announcements — playing for the joy of it.

 Kohli Advocates for Families on Indian Tours

“It’s very difficult to explain how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time something intense happens on the outside.”

He criticised the idea of keeping families away from players:

“People with no control over what’s happening are dragged into conversations and put at the forefront as if they need to be kept away.”

Most Intense Disappointment: The Australia Tour

“If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I’ve been, the most recent Australia tour is the one that feels the most intense to me.”

For years, Kohli cited England 2014 as his toughest phase. However, he now sees things differently:

“Maybe I won’t have another Australia tour again in four years. You have to make peace with whatever’s happened.”

He also pointed out how fans often feel more disappointed than the players themselves:

“When you perform for a long time, people get used to your performances. They start feeling for you more than you feel sometimes. This has to be corrected.”

Kohli on Neeraj Chopra

“He is doing amazing things all over the world. When you meet him, you see the calmness and composure. No one needs to tell him how to train or how much to train.”

Retirement? Not Yet!

“I am not playing for achievements. It’s purely for the joy of playing. As long as that feeling is intact, I will continue playing.”

He recalled a conversation with former head coach Rahul Dravid about self-awareness:

“Rahul Dravid once told me that one has to stay in touch with oneself to figure out where one is placed in life.”

Kohli reassured fans: “Don’t get nervous. I am not making any announcements. As of now, everything seems fine.”