Felt alone in a room full of people who support and love me, opens up Virat Kohli

Behind the courageous and confident persona of Virat Kohli on the field, there is an ordinary human dealing with the troubles that come with being an athlete of such stature. The former Indian skipper is known as one of the most aggressive cricketers in the world yet is no stranger to suffering from mental health issues.

A lot of doubts have been cast on the 33-year-old following his inability to perform for the Men in Blue in recent times. Used to scoring centuries for fun, Kohli has not registered a ton for India since 2019. The talisman has revealed how lonely he has felt at times in his career, much like many others around the globe.

"I personally have experienced times when even in a room full of people who support and love me, I felt alone, and I am sure that this is a feeling that a lot of people can relate to," he said in an interview published Wednesday as reported by AFP.

This is not the first time Kohli has made such comments. Not so long ago, he had recounted instances from the tour of England in 2014 where he was bogged down by self-doubt resulting in his failure. Even though the batsman has been an epitome of self-reliance and determination to succeed throughout most of his career, it has not prevented him from being in a negative mind space.

"It is definitely a serious issue and as much as we try to be strong at all times, it can tear you apart."

Of late, Kohli has been taking many more breaks and rest periods compared to the early stages of his career in order to reset himself. He pointed out the need to be in a positive frame of mind and remain attached to their roles.

"If you lose that connection, it wouldn't take very long for other things to crumble around you," Kohli concluded on the matter.