Virat Kohli opens up on ‘failures’ in ICC events: “There have been people who have never won a World Cup”
Team India batter Virat Kohli has expressed surprise at the fact that he has been termed a ‘failed’ captain despite having led the team to knockouts on a number of occasions in ICC events. The 34-year-old further pointed out that he has won the World Cup as well as the Champions Trophy as a player.
Despite having an impressive record as India's captain, Kohli has often been criticized for not leading India to any ICC title. Under him, the Men in Blue reached the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017 and the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2019. Team India also finished runners-up in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) in 2021.
In the RCB Podcast Season 2, Kohli opened up on being referred to as a ‘failed’ captain. He opined:
“Look, you play to win tournaments. I captained in Champions Trophy 2017, 2019 World Cup. I captained in World Test Championship and T20 World Cup in 2021. After three (four) ICC tournaments, I was considered as a failed captain.”
Kohli quit as T20 captain after India’s exit from the World Cup in 2021. He had announced his decision before the tournament began. He was subsequently sacked as ODI leader before resigning as Test leader as well.
Virat Kohli on people considering him a failed captain. twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/kPbZWgV4lv
The run-machine added that being able to bring cultural change to the Indian team is something he will always be proud of. The RCB star asserted:
“I never judged myself from that point of view; what we ended up achieving as a team and as a cultural change that always going to be a matter of pride for me. A tournament happens for a certain period of time but a culture happens over a long period of time and for that you need consistency for that you need more characters than just winning a tournament.
“I won a World Cup as a player. I won the Champions Trophy as a player. I have been part of the team that has won five Test maces. If you look at that point of view, there have been people who have never won a World Cup.”
Kohli was the leading run-getter in the 2022 T20 World Cup, smashing 296 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 136.41.
“I was lucky enough to be part of that 2011 team” - Virat Kohli
During the interaction, Kohli also opened up about being part of the 2011 ODI World Cup win. He described himself as lucky to be a member of the team, adding that winning it for Sachin Tendulkar was special. The 34-year-old said:
“To be honest, I was lucky enough to be part of that 2011 team. And what led to my selection was also amazing because I had a great run of great scores, and I ended up being with the team. Sachin Tendulkar was playing in his sixth World Cup, and that was the one he won. I was able to be a part of the team for the first time, and I ended up being part of the winning side.
“I am looking back at things that I am grateful for, not what has gone wrong in my career. I am not mad for my trophy cabinet to be full.”
Having made his India debut in 2008, Kohli recently became the fastest player to score 25,000 international runs, breaking Tendulkar’s record.