“Ego Took Over”: Virat Kohli’s Honest Admission of T20 World Cup Struggles In Front Of PM Narendra Modi

July 5, 2024 0 739

Virat Kohli admitted to battling his ego during the T20 World Cup but ultimately contributed to India’s victory.

India’s star Virat Kohli has revealed he struggled with his ego during India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign. In a candid conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kohli confessed his batting performances throughout the tournament fell short of his expectations.

“First of all, thank you so much for inviting us. This day (T20 World Cup final) will always stay with me because during the entire tournament, I wasn’t able to contribute to the level as I wanted to (for the team),” Kohli addressed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kohli further elaborated on a conversation with head coach Rahul Dravid, expressing his self-doubt. “There was a point when I told Rahul bhai that I am not doing justice to myself and the team so far. He replied ‘when the situation demands, I am confident you will perform’. So the kind of tournament I had, I wasn’t confident that I will be able to bat the way I wanted to during the final,” admitted Virat Kohli.

However, the tide seemed to turn during the final against South Africa. After a strong start with three boundaries off the first over, Kohli recounted a conversation with captain Rohit Sharma. “So when I struck three fours in four deliveries, I told Rohit that ‘What a game this is! One day you feel like not being able to score a single run and then there’s another when everything starts working out. So, when we lost three wickets, I had to surrender myself to the situation. I was only focused on what’s important for the team,'” Kohli recalled.

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Further, Modi inquired about Kohli’s family’s reaction to the victory. “There are moments when everybody ends up keeping their faith on yourself and it becomes a driving force sometimes. But tell me, how was the reaction of your family?” he asked. Kohli explained, “The good thing is, that there’s was a sizeable time difference so I didn’t talk to my family much. My mother ends up getting worried,” referring to the time difference between India and Barbados.

The conversation culminated with Kohli acknowledging the role of ego in his struggles. “I realised when you feel you can do anything, your ego takes over and the game pulls away from you. I had to keep my ego aside. The situation was such that I had to keep my pride aside for team. When you respect the game, it respects you. So that’s what I experienced,” Kohli concluded.