New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind Virat Kohli following the latter’s candid remarks about stepping away from Test cricket and the pressures that influenced his decision

Kohli, speaking on the RCB podcast, revealed that the constant expectation to justify his place after every outing played a major role in his decision to retire from the longest format after India’s tour of Australia.

The comments sparked widespread discussion across the cricketing world, and Ashwin, who himself retired from international cricket midway through India’s 2024 Australia tour, said he completely understood Kohli’s mindset.

“Virat said, ‘I don’t have to prove my work to anyone,’ and that’s absolutely right. Why, man? I also felt the same. There was nothing left to prove. Whom does he need to prove himself to after playing for so many years and winning so many matches for India?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin spoke at length about the emotional and mental burden that senior players often carry, especially after years of performing under relentless public scrutiny. According to the veteran off-spinner, there comes a stage in a cricketer’s career where external validation ceases to matter.

“What people say from the outside is just their job. When you are young, there is often a strong urge to say, ‘I will prove you wrong.’ But maturity and wisdom come when you realise that the battle is not with anyone else, but with yourself. The moment you have that realisation, life becomes very easy. I think Virat has reached that point. It is not easy to leave regrets behind,” he added.

Kohli’s original remarks had offered a rare insight into the mental fatigue experienced by elite athletes late in their careers. The former India captain suggested that repeatedly being placed in situations where he felt compelled to justify his value had taken a toll on him.

“Either tell me on day one I am not good enough or I am not needed. But if I am made to feel like I need to constantly prove my worth and my value, then I am not in that space,” Kohli had said during the podcast.

The batting great also addressed speculation surrounding his potential participation in the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, making it clear that he no longer feels the need to chase approval or silence critics at this stage of his journey.

–IANS

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