Virat Kohli talks about retirement plans ahead of 29th birthday

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has cleared that he will stop playing cricket when the passion of winning ceases just as he will turn 29 on November 5. The superstar of Indian cricket has already owned some of the records of this gentleman’s game in last few years. But he will have to part ways with the game as the time will come for him to decide in next few years. However, he is not shy about speaking up on the subject and opines that he will hang his boots once there is no passion is left in him for the game.

Virat is currently highest run-getter in the 50-overs format in a calendar year for 2017 and is yet to play a series of three One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka in December. Recently, he was the Man of the Series against New Zealand and looked in fluent touch while in the middle. As a captain too he has been prolific and has handled the team well in tough situations with the help of MS Dhoni. However, the tougher challenges are waiting for him and the team as they are set to be on the road in the next year.

Motivation is just about winning

Virat Kohli opened up frankly about his retirement in a web-talk show ‘Breakfast with Champions’. “The motivation is just about winning. The day the passion ends, I will stop playing. I’ll never want to drag myself for more than my body can take”, he said. He also conceded that there had been days when he used to wake up with a sense of detachment to what he was doing. But the champion came back every time by concentrating on his game and is touching greater heights now.

“when the feeling of pushing oneself back from failure subsides and the ability to try yet again stops, continuing from there on is impossible for a sportsperson. I’ll stop playing when I will feel I am just standing on the field without the passion and energy of winning, when the game becomes “more of a participation thing”. If I can’t contribute to the team, I won’t continue, the Delhi lad concluded.