One of the most fervent and expressive players on the field has always been the famous Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. The 36-year-old striker, however, recently disclosed how his composure and ferocity have become talking points. Since he has no idea what people anticipate from him, Kohli jokingly acknowledged that he has stopped listening to outside comments.
The right-handed batter has never held back from showing his feelings over his career, whether it be through vocal outbursts, fervent celebrations, or expressive reactions. Kohli has, however, shown a far more composed demeanor in recent years. This shift has drawn attention, and some people are now doubting his sincerity. The man, who was born in Delhi, responded that he was unsure of what needed to be done.
“People are not happy about that either. I don’t know what to do, to be honest. Earlier, my aggression was a problem, now, my calmness is a problem. It’s like, I have no idea what needs to be done, that’s why I don’t focus on it much,” Kohli said during the RCB Innovational Lab Indian Sports Summit.
He clarified that he had an aggressive attitude by nature, which occasionally caused him to act inappropriately on the field. He emphasized, meanwhile, that he always had good intentions and wanted to see his team thrive.
“The kind of person I am, the kind of personality I have, yes, I do have tendencies to kind of go overboard. And I’ve never shied away from that. But the starting point is, okay, sometimes it might not have gone out with the right intent, but more often than not, the starting point has been of care. I want this all to be an event that helps my team win. That’s why you see the celebration that I have when we pick up a wicket in a tight situation. Because I’m like, yes, this is exactly what needs to happen. And I represent it like that,” he added
My competitiveness has not gone down: Virat Kohli
The seasoned batter also talked about how his celebratory approach has changed over time. His priorities have changed, even though he used to show his feelings often.
“For a lot of people, it might not have been something that they’re able to process. But for me, it always comes from the right place. While batting, of course, it puts me in a different place. Because I don’t have small, regular events to get excited about. I mean, the end goal is finishing the game. And then, yes, I can represent it the way I used to in the past. Again, things are happening naturally with me. It’s getting tapered down naturally,” Kohli further added.
He also emphasized that despite his tempered hostility, people find it difficult to comprehend how his competitiveness has not altered. According to the 36-year-old, it’s not always essential to act aggressively.
“My competitiveness has not gone down. So, I think for a lot of people, it’s very difficult to process how is the competitiveness going to be at the same level if the aggression is not. You can still be aggressive in your mind, but you don’t necessarily need to express it out there every now and then out of frustration, which I have – I mean, in the recent past as well, which is not a great thing, to be honest, I don’t feel great about those things myself,” he concluded.
In the meanwhile, Kohli will play for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 Indian Premier League. He would be anticipating the next season after being retained for an incredible INR 21 crore. against March 22, the team will take against the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in the tournament opener.
