Does one need to be a captain to be a leader? Here's what Virat Kohli thinks

Virat Kohli has stepped down from the Team India captaincy role. However, does one need to be the skipper to be a leader? Here's what he feels.

After serving the Indian team for seven years, Virat Kohli is done and dusted with the captaincy duties. Having stepped down from the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) role, he was dropped from the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) role by the selectors, while failing to win in South Africa made him quit the Test duties too. However, he feels that one does not have to be the captain to be a leader.

Speaking on an episode of Fireside Chat with VK, Kohli stated that one needs to identify what he seeks to achieve and if he has managed to do the same. Also, he warned that everything has a tenue and time, as one must be aware of it. He asserted that one could significantly contribute as a batter to the side than a skipper, and it should be a thing of pride.

"You do not need to be a captain to be the leader. When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like he was not the leader. He was still the guy from whom we wanted to have input. To win or not win is not in your hands, the striving for excellence and to be better every day is not something you can do short term. When it comes to a culture, it will last beyond your playing years and your responsibility," Kohli said.

"To add to that, moving on is also a part of leadership, to understand the right time to do that. I think one has to embrace all kinds of roles and opportunities. I have played under MS Dhoni for a while, and then I became the captain. My mindset has been the same all this while. I always thought like a captain when I was just a player in the team," added Kohli.

Elaborating on the topic, Kohli further opined that it is essential to be aware of what they think about themselves. If one has more responsibility, he can still have a vision and present a different version of themself. He assured that if he is aware that his gameplay is not up to the mark, he would not want someone to push him.

"Communication is the most important thing. You cannot cut off someone saying I do not need your point of view, you can respectfully say I am in a good space, and if there is help to be taken, I will reach out to you. That sort of balance has worked out for me," concluded Kohli.