'The day I don’t feel like playing this way, I will quit' - Virat Kohli opens up about his retirement plans in Instagram live with Kevin Pietersen

The outbreak of coronavirus has prevented the start of the Indian Premier League 2020. There is no update on when the tournament would start at this moment. Though, it seems unlikely that the IPL will start in April. Meanwhile, the players are using this time to stay with their families and spend time at home.

On Thursday, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen conducted a live chat session with Indian captain Virat Kohli on Instagram, where the duo talked about cricket for an hour. During the live chat session, Kevin Pietersen shared an old story. He recounted the time he met MS Dhoni in a gym and they were talking about Kohli’s leadership. Pietersen said that Dhoni told him that he would be interested to see if Kohli can maintain his intensity for his entire career.

Kevin Pietersen recalls an incident with MS Dhoni

“I was running on a treadmill, don’t know where it was, and MS (Dhoni) came next to me and jumped on the treadmill next to me. We started talking about you and your leadership,” the former England batsman recounted. “One of the things he said would interest him was whether or not you would be able to maintain the same energy, excitement, aggressive leadership on the field,” he added.

After listening to this, Kohli responded by telling how intensely he is always involved in the game. The current Indian captain said that he wasn’t even the leader of the side, he would constantly go up to Dhoni and try to give him different ideas. Kohli also said that he gives everything on the field and his energy levels are always high. He also mentioned that the day he doesn’t want to give 120 per cent, he will retire from the game.

“You can ask MS that as well. When I played under MS Dhoni, I was in his ears every over. ‘Maybe we can do this, maybe we can do that’,” Virat Kohli said. “I would run from long on to long-off. I needed to be in the right place. I need to be able to enjoy the game first, even now when I’m the captain.

I will give 120 per cent every ball. I can’t play any other way. I’ve made a promise to myself, the day I don’t feel like playing like this way I will quit. My bowlers tell me you celebrate more than us when we take a wicket. I just can’t help it,” said the current Indian skipper.