When Virat Kohli opened up about Anushka Sharma helping him stay grounded during tough times: 'I would have become an egoistic maniac'

Virat Kohli often opens up about the mental and physical struggles he has endured over the years. He has never failed to share the important role his wife, Anushka Sharma, has played in his career. The star Indian batter once spoke about how stepping away from the game helped him rediscover his balance.
In a candid conversation with former cricketer Robin Uthappa, Kohli reflected on the time he took a break from cricket — a rare pause in his otherwise relentless schedule. During this period, he didn't pick up a bat for an entire month. This conscious decision allowed him to reconnect with his passion for the sport.
Virat about Anushka's support

Virat credited Anushka for helping him through the process. “When you come back from a space like this, it’s easy to immediately go like, ‘Ah, everything is so good and it’s okay’. That’s why I mention Anushka’s name first — because she has seen the challenges of being in this position. She knows it. She has been there for so many years. She knows what it takes to handle public pressure. So, her conversations with me have always been priceless. She tells me the truth — simple,” Kohli shared.
He admitted that without her presence and honesty, he might have lost himself to ego and frustration. Anushka always acted as though it were her responsibility to tell him the truth.
“There is no mollycoddling. So, how she spoke to me during that phase was something that kept me in check. If I had been left by myself to figure it out, I would have become an egoistic maniac. I would have become snappier, even more cranky. But for her to keep bringing me down to the base level — where two people should be at the same level, to be normal, to grow together — that mattered,” he added.
Virat about fatherhood
Kohli also touched on how fatherhood has transformed his perspective. His daughter Vamika, he says, has taught him the value of living in the moment.
Both Anushka and Virat welcomed their second child, Akaay, in 2024. The duo reportedly moved to London with their children to give them a peaceful upbringing away from the limelight.