3 min readUpdated: May 17, 2026 02:07 PM IST
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Virat Kohli following the batsman’s candid remarks about no longer wanting to constantly “prove” himself late into his career.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said Kohli had already achieved more than enough in international cricket and should not have to repeatedly justify his place or value after nearly two decades at the top.
Kohli, during a recent conversation on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru podcast, had spoken openly about the emotional toll of constantly being judged after every failure. The former India captain admitted he no longer wanted to operate in an environment where one or two poor performances immediately led to questions over his worth.
Reacting to those comments, Ashwin strongly supported his long-time teammate.
“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.
The former off-spinner, who himself retired from international cricket during India’s 2024 tour of Australia, said experienced players eventually reach a stage where the battle becomes internal rather than external.
“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,” Ashwin explained.
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Kohli had also spoken about how constant scrutiny could become mentally draining, especially after years of delivering consistently across formats.
“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 on the podcast.
The discussion around Kohli’s future intensified after he retired from Test cricket last year following India’s tour of Australia. However, the 37-year-old continues to remain central to India’s ODI plans and has spoken about potentially playing the 2027 ODI World Cup if he still feels capable of contributing to the team.
He is currently enjoying another productive IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, including a match-winning century against Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous match.
