Kohli on Leaving the Field: A Long Goodbye After Cricket Career Ends
India great and former RCB captain Virat Kohli has revealed his post-retirement plans, saying that he will take a long break before thinking about 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 sports world. Kohli's influence has been so profound that he played a part in getting cricket included in the Olympic program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. As Kohli continues to display an insatiable appetite for runs, it is only natural for fans and pundits alike to wonder what fuels his relentless drive. The former Indian captain was asked this question at 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 have an end date in our career. So I'm just working backwards. I don't want to end my career thinking, 'Oh, if only I had done this on that particular day.' Can't go on forever so it's about leaving no undone business behind and no regrets later, that's for sure. Kohli also hinted that he will take a long break before thinking about what's next after his retirement from cricket. Kohli is generally tight-lipped about his retirement plans. However, he has finally made a remarkable comment, expressing his desire to end his career without any regrets and give his best until he stops playing.
"Once I'm done, I'll be gone, you won't see me for a while (smiles). So I want to give it everything I've got as long as I'm playing, and that's the one thing that keeps me going. keeps." he said.
Kohli currently leads the charts of the top run-scorers in the ongoing IPL 2024, scoring 661 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 155.16 and an impressive average of 66.10. His performances include five fifties and one century. RCB, currently fifth in the IPL table with 12 points from 13 matches, will face third-placed CSK with 14 points from 13 matches in a crucial match this Saturday. To stay in contention for the playoffs, RCB must surpass CSK's Net Run Rate (NRR) and score a decisive victory. CSK's NRR is +0.528, while RCB's is +0.387.
After the IPL, Virat Kohli is all set to take part in the ICC T20 World Cup, which aims to help India end the ICC trophy drought. Initially, there were doubts about Kohli's selection for the team, as reports suggested that the selectors were unhappy with his approach to the T20 game. However, Kohli proved his worth once again in IPL 2024 with sensational power-hitting and high strike-rate.