‘I Let Myself Down’: Kohli Opens Up About T20 World Cup Battles and Dravid’s Support

Virat Kohli shared an emotional conversation with Rahul Dravid after a string of low scores in the 2024 T20 World Cup. India ended a long ICC title drought by defeating South Africa in the final in Barbados, with Kohli playing a pivotal role by scoring 76 runs after the team lost three key wickets in the Powerplay.

Promoted as an opener for the tournament, Kohli struggled to make an impact until the semi-finals. Despite his successful stint as an opener for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, the challenging surfaces and his aggressive approach led to early dismissals. However, in the final, Kohli’s composed innings, supported by Axar Patel’s 47, helped India set a competitive total of 176/7.

In a post-match interview with Star Sports, Kohli recounted his discussion with Dravid, where he expressed disappointment in his own performance. “I told him, ‘I let myself down. I need to be better,’” Kohli revealed, reflecting on his struggles and eventual triumph.

Following the T20 World Cup victory, Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is, receiving the Player of the Match award for his crucial knock. Captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also retired from the format, marking the end of an era for Indian T20 cricket. Rohit, the top-scorer in T20Is, confirmed his retirement during the post-match conference, while Jadeja penned a farewell note on Instagram.

India now looks ahead to the future, with new stars set to step up in the shortest format.