Virat Kohli reveals how 2009 Pakistan defeat nearly ended his career

Virat Kohli has shared a memorable moment from the early days of his career, revealing how a challenging match against Pakistan in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy helped shape his journey to becoming one of India's greatest cricketers.

In an emotional interview on the podcast on Tuesday, Kohli recalled the immense pressure he faced when he was called up as a last-minute replacement for the injured Yuvraj Singh. At the time, Kohli was still a relatively young and inexperienced player.

Kohli managed only 16 runs before being dismissed, attempting to hit Shahid Afridi over the top. India lost the match by 54 runs, a result that left Kohli devastated.

“That was my first India-Pakistan game. I scored about 16. I tried to hit Shahid Afridi for a six straight down the ground and got caught at long-on. We lost that game. It was an important moment, and my heart was beating so fast through the whole innings. I couldn’t process everything that happened within those four days,” Kohli recalled.

He admitted that the loss and his underwhelming performance led to self-doubt. He felt as though he had squandered his only opportunity to establish himself in the Indian team.

“It was a big loss and I just couldn’t sleep. I was awake till five in the morning, staring at the ceiling. I thought, ‘This is it. I’ve been called back after a year, and I’ve messed it all up. I don’t know how this is going to shape up.’ I had a lot of moments like that where I really doubted myself. I had to recalibrate and slowly build myself back up,” he shared.

Despite the setback, Kohli described the experience as a turning point in his career. It fueled his determination to become more resilient and helped him develop into one of India’s most reliable players, especially in high-pressure situations against Pakistan.

Kohli also reflected on another influential figure in his early cricketing journey — former South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Boucher played a significant mentoring role during the 2008 IPL season with RCB.

“Out of all the players I played with initially, Mark Boucher had the biggest impact on me as a young kid. He was the only one who came in with the mindset, ‘I’m going to help some of the young Indian players,’” said Kohli.

Boucher didn’t wait for Kohli to ask for help. Instead, he closely observed the young batter, pinpointing technical flaws and offering guidance to improve his game.

"He saw me play and saw a bit of potential. He figured out what my weaknesses could be, like if I wanted to go to the next level, this is what I need to do, without me asking him anything," Kohli said.

Boucher’s mentoring approach was hands-on. He focused on specific areas for improvement, such as Kohli’s ability to play the short ball.

"He said, 'Okay, I have seen you play this and we need to work on this, that and a couple more things.' So, he took me to the nets, he said, 'You need to work on the short ball. No one is going to give you a chance in international cricket if you cannot pull the ball,'" he added.

In an effort to push Kohli out of his comfort zone, Boucher even used tennis balls during net sessions to simulate short-pitched deliveries.

This mentorship helped Kohli develop his game, and the lessons learned in those early days continue to shape his success at the highest level.