'Told Dravid I haven't done justice to team, told Rohit I don't have confidence': Kohli's honest admission to PM Modi

Virat Kohli, during the Indian team's visit to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, opened up on the struggles he went through during the T20 World Cup, admitting that he was low on confidence heading into the final last Saturday. Kohli, who had scored 75 runs from seven innings, was under immense pressure to deliver a big one for India. His body language was unusually down, his batting cutting a sorry figure of his once dominating self. But even as Kohli doubted himself, two people closest to him in the team, did not. Captain Rohit Sharma said after the England semifinal that Kohli is probably saving his best for the final, a sentiment that was echoed by coach Rahul Dravid shortly after.

And call it fate, Kohli once again chose the big stage to come back to form, playing a cracking knock of 76 off 59 balls. After the match, Kohli, who was adjudged Player of the Match, admitted that all this while he did not feel good about himself. In fact, after his dismissal for 9 in the semi-final against England, a visual of a sombre-looking Kohli getting consoled by coach Dravid in the dressing room created ripples. But as is the case with great players, with a bit of luck and courage, it all comes together. For Kohli, this was it, as his first half-century of the tournament and last of his T20I career came when the stakes couldn't have been higher.

"That day will stay forever in my heart because I couldn't contribute much to the team in the tournament. I even told Rahul Dravid bhai that I haven't done justice for the team and myself so far. But he told me that when the opportunity arrives, I am sure that you will perform. Even when Rohit and I were going to bat, I told him that I don't have enough confidence. But when I got three boundaries in the first over, I told him 'What is happening? One day, I am not getting a single run, and now I've got three boundaries in an over'," Kohli told PM Modi while reminiscing about the T20 World Cup final.

Virat Kohli's roller-coaster T20 World Cup

Promoted to open the innings, Kohli failed to find his groove. Player of the Tournament in two different editions of the T20 World Cup – in 2014 and 2016 – Kohli's scores read 1, 4, 0, 24, 37, 0 and 9. The final was the last throw of the dice for Kohli, and more so when India, after racing to 23 in just the first nine deliveries of the match, were reduced to 35/3. The in-form Rohit had perished, the dangerous Rishabh Pant was out for a first-ball duck and Suryakumar Yadav, South Africa's nightmare, fell to a shot he likes to play the most – the scoop off his hips.

At that moment, Kohli went down on his knees and did what he always does best – take stock of proceedings and run that brain of his faster than a computer. Returning to his basics, Kohli anchored the innings, building partnerships with Axar Patel and Shivam Dube. And when it was time for him to take off, Kohli unleashed himself, smashing three fours and two sixes quickly to take India over 150. He eventually fell to Rabada, trying to clear the ropes again, but by then, Kohli had ensured India did not endure another batting collapse. Speaking further, Kohli told PM Modi that the wicket of SKY prompted him to play along, but it wasn't him alone driving his innings.

"And after we lost three wickets, my only focus was to surrender myself to the team and focus on what's best for the team. I felt that I was thrown into the situation. It's hard to explain the feeling. Some things are bound to happen," he said.