They genuinely took care of me – Virat Kohli expresses gratitude to Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour

Playing at an elite level needs a lot of heart and more importantly the right state of mind. Virat Kohli, who has been operating at the highest level of cricket for almost 15 years, has gone through countless highs and lows. However, his warrior mentality has always seen him come back for more.

But as the saying goes, every warrior needs the best care, whether physical or mental. Speaking in the ‘Mind over everything: Virat Kohli on peak performance’ session at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit powered by Leaders, Virat shed some light on how Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour supported him on the Indian cricket team.

Rahul Dravid was in charge of the Indian cricket team from November 2021 to June 2024, bidding farewell after India lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup. Vikram Rathour served as the side's batting coach from slightly before, taking over the reins from September 2019 and continuing alongside Dravid till the end of his tenure as the preceptor of the Indian cricket team.

Virat said, “I had a great phase and whenever I meet them (Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour), I thank them from the bottom of my heart because they took care of me in a way that made me feel like I wanted to play for them. They understood what I was feeling and genuinely took care of me mentally. That put me in a space where I could enjoy my cricket again.”