Once I am done, you won't see me for a while: Virat Kohli reveals post-retirement plans
Former India and RCB captain Virat Kohli has revealed his post-retirement plans and also shed light on what motivates his relentless pursuit of excellence.
In Short
- Former India and RCB captain Virat Kohli reveals his post-retirement plans
- Virat Kohli also reveals his motivation behind relentless pursuit of excellence
- Virat Kohli said he wants to end his career without having any regrets
India great and former RCB captain Virat Kohli has revealed his post-retirement plans, saying he would take a long break before contemplating his next steps after retiring from cricket. Over the past decade, Virat Kohli has left an indelible mark not just on cricket but on the entire sporting world. Kohli's influence has been so deep that it played a part in cricket being included in the Olympic programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. As Kohli continues to demonstrate an insatiable hunger for runs, it's natural for fans and experts alike to wonder what fuels his relentless drive. This question was posed to the former India captain at the RCB's Royal Gala Dinner, held in Bengaluru on May 18, ahead of their crucial IPL match against CSK.
"It's quite simple," said the 35-year-old Kohli. "I think as a sportsman, we do have an end-date to our careers. So I am just working backwards. I don't want to finish my career thinking 'oh, what if I have done this on that particular day' because I can't keep going on and on forever. So it's just about not leaving any undone business behind and not have any regrets later, which I am sure I won't."
Kohli also hinted that he would take a long break before thinking about what is next, once he has retired from cricket. Kohli has generally remained tight-lipped about his retirement plans. However, he has finally made a significant remark, expressing his desire to end his career without any regrets and to give his best until he stops playing.
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"Once I am done, I will be gone, you won't see me for a while (smiles). So I want to give it everything I have till the time I play, and that's the only thing that keeps me going," he said.
Kohli currently leads the chart of top run-scorers in the ongoing IPL 2024, having amassed 661 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 155.16 and an impressive average of 66.10. His performance includes five fifties and one century. RCB, currently fifth on the IPL table with 12 points from 13 matches, face a crucial match against third-ranked CSK, who have 14 points from 13 matches, this Saturday. To stay in contention for the playoffs, RCB must secure a decisive victory to surpass CSK’s net run rate (NRR). CSK's NRR stands at +0.528, while RCB's is +0.387.
After the IPL, Virat Kohli is set to feature in the ICC T20 World Cup, aiming to help India end their ICC trophy drought. Initially, there were doubts about Kohli's selection for the squad, as reports suggested that selectors were unhappy with his approach to the T20 game. However, Kohli once again proved his worth, shutting down his critics with sensational power-hitting and high strike-rate in IPL 2024.