Virat Kohli opens up about 'not feeling good enough', 'imposter syndrome' as India cricketer, thanks Rahul Dravid for support
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Virat Kohli opens up about 'not feeling good enough', 'imposter syndrome' as India cricketer, thanks Rahul Dravid for support originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- India cricket legend Virat Kohli addressed the mental pressures that come along with leadership within the sport of cricket.
- He indicated that top-level players tread a delicate balance between being cautious and feeling insecure despite past successes.
- Kohli pointed out that imposter syndrome can continue at the highest levels despite success and under team pressure.
- He thanked Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour for their great encouragement and man-management skills.
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Virat Kohli on leadership pressure and mental strain in elite cricket
Former India captain Virat Kohli noted that leadership in cricket is often misinterpreted, saying it has little to do with teaching and more with managing people and expectations.
Speaking at RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit, he said, "In the cricket world, it's very difficult for people to understand. The reason why you're given a leadership role is because people believe that you can take a lot more. And you manage."
He continued to explain how players and captains remain constantly occupied by external affairs and do not notice their own psychological state.
"You have to constantly be in a space where you're not focused on yourself… You don't even think about whether someone's going to ask you, are you okay?'"
As Kohli claimed, it makes the player not pay attention to his mental state in the course of leadership activities.
It is noteworthy that Kohli could only start thinking about such problems once he stopped being a captain.
"It was still in a space where I was captaining. Only when I left captaincy, I opened up and I shared more."
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Kohli on support from Rahul Dravid & Vikram Rathour, and battling imposter syndrome at the highest level
Another vital aspect of Kohli’s reflections was about the team surrounding him, especially during his successful period in Tests in 2023.
“I had a great run in Test cricket in 2023… I always thank them… Rahul Bhai and Vikram Rathour… they really took care of me in a way that made me feel like I want to play for them.”
Kohli felt that their attitude helped him re-establish himself with the feeling of purpose.
“Because they were so caring and nurturing… they really took care of me mentally. So that really… put me in a space where I could enjoy my cricket again.”
Kohli also appreciated their ability to understand the pressure of top-class cricket because of their own experience.
Among the many significant statements made by Kohli, one of the most notable was the one about incessant insecurity, despite decades of experience in the field.
“It’s a very thin line between being cautious and being insecure. You always feel like you're never good enough. And that's… imposter syndrome, if I may mention.”
According to him, even simple things like hitting balls at practice become an extremely stressful activity because other people are always watching.
“Even if I go to the nets today… if I have a bad net session, they're going to be like, this is the guy who's been playing for 20 years.”
This puts pressure on oneself all the time to keep up the act.
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The Cricket News Opinion: Kohli explains why support systems are critical for maintaining elite status
From Kohli’s analysis, we understand that being an elite cricketer involves emotional toughness, with immense pressure and scrutiny making the task psychologically taxing.
In his comments, Kohli emphasised the significance of coach and other support systems in maintaining the players' mental balance.
The fact that he had experienced feeling like an impostor is a testament to how achieving excellence does not only require physical abilities but a lot more psychological work, including overcoming self-doubt even while excelling.
In conclusion, it is evident that having coaches like Dravid is critical since the emotional connection can help elite cricketers restore their love for the game.
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