'It was gruesome' - Virat Kohli reveals reason why he stepped down as India's Test captain

Published - 20 May 2026, 11:36 IST | Updated - 20 May 2026, 11:42 IST

Virat Kohli has revealed the real reason as to why he decided to step back from being India’s Test captain. The right-handed batter stated how balancing his batting form whilst leading the side in the longest format of the game took a toll on him.

Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest Test captains India has had in modern times. The Men in Blue played fearless cricket and went on to achieve great success. However, a disappointing series defeat in South Africa in 2022 saw the talismanic leader leave captaincy for good.

Kohli stated how being the team’s captain and an important batter was extremely hard to balance. The middle-order batter, however, tried to power through both aspects of his career for the betterment of India’s Test side, which ultimately ended his tenure as the skipper.

“I ended up being in a place where I became the focal point of our batting unit and the focal point of leadership. I didn’t realise how much of load both those things will present in my daily life, to be honest. But because I was so driven to just make sure that Indian cricket stays on top, I didn’t really pay attention to it. And that’s precisely why by the time I left captaincy, I was completely spent. There was nothing left in the tank. I was completely consumed by it. It was gruesome,” Virat Kohli said during the RCB Innovation Lab on Tuesday.

Kohli went on to lead India 68 times in Test matches, winning 40 matches along the way. His overall win record is only bettered by the Australian duo of Ricky Ponting (48), Steve Waugh (41) and former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith (53).

Virat Kohli reflects on leadership, fitness and purpose

Following the end of his time as Test captain, Kohli’s form gradually dropped, which resulted in him announcing his retirement from the five-day format in the summer of 2025. The right-hander ended up with 9,230 from 123 matches, whilst averaging 46.85. He scored 30 centuries in the format, with an unbeaten 254 against the Proteas in Pune being his highest score.