Top News

The morning after Virat Kohli ended his 18-year search for an IPL title, the buzz is that he is likely to call time on his franchise career anytime now.

The question came up during his post-match interview with Matthew Hayden and the master batter – known for not pulling his punches – made it clear that he would not compromise on the work ethic that he is famous for.

“I can’t play as an impact player, I want to field 20 overs and make an impact in the field. That’s the kind of player I have been. And God’s blessed me with that perspective, with the talent,” said an unusually emotional Kohli. This may not be exactly a dig at his peers (read: Rohit Sharma), but the underlying message is that his clock has begun ticking down.

“Well, I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years. So there is an end date to our career, as you know. By the time that I hang up my boots, I want to sit at home and say I gave it everything I had. So I look for ways to improve,” said the highest run-getter in the history of the Indian Premier League, with a tally of 8661 runs, with 8 centuries.

The cricket fraternity may be gushing about how the stars aligned for him to hand him the trophy in the very year when he had just called time on his Test career, but he did not quite lose sight of the fact that the longer format is still the pinnacle of the game for him.

“You know, this moment is right up there with the best moments I’ve had in my career but it still marks five levels under Test cricket. That’s how much I value Test cricket and that’s how much I love it,” remarked one of the biggest ambassadors of red ball cricket.

“I would just urge the youngsters coming through to treat that format with respect. Because if you perform in Test cricket, you walk around anywhere in the world, people look you in the eye and shake your hand and say well done, you played the game really well. If you want to earn respect in world cricket all over, take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it. And when you walk out with wonders on the other side, then you gain respect in the cricket world with legends like yourself. Melting our hearts on the field and off the field,” Kohli appealed to the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.  

That being said, Tuesday night was nothing short of a cathartic experience for Kohli, who has endured many a season of hurt and agonising finishes – though perhaps none worse than the 2016 season when, he scored 973 runs only to see the RCB go down by nine runs to the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.

Asked where this title ranks in his career, Kohli said: “Well, it’s right up there. As I said, I’ve given everything that I had for the last 18 years. I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what, and I always dreamt of winning it with them. And this is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bengaluru, my soul is with Bengaluru.”