Drawing parallels between on-field pressure conditions in two vastly completely different games, former India captain Virat Kohli says what tennis players endure week after week can solely be in contrast to the much less frequent “intimidation and pressure” that an Indian cricketer faces in World Cup knockouts and clashes towards arch foes Pakistan.
Kohli, who has retired from T20 Internationals and Tests, made the comparability after witnessing Wimbledon motion with actor spouse Anushka Sharma on Monday (July 7, 2025). He was in dialog with tennis legend Vijay Amritraj in the course of the day’s proceedings.
“I think the experience (in pressure situations) can be similar. But the intimidation factor and the pressure that would replicate for us in a World Cup game, a World Cup match between India and Pakistan or a semifinal or a final of the World Cup, your legs are shivering because of sheer pressure,” Kohli mentioned in the course of the interview telecast on ‘Star Sports’.
“But these players might be facing that from the quarterfinal onwards to the final, which I think is a lot of pressure to handle. I have a lot of respect for tennis players for playing with that composure and maintaining that level of fitness and mental toughness,” added the celebrity, who spends appreciable time in London throughout his breaks from the sport.
One of the all time greats in cricket, retired not too long ago from the red-ball format with 9230 runs from 123 matches that contained 30 lots of. Kohli mentioned cricketers undergo their very own challenges on discipline due to the ever-evolving nature of the game.
“Different sports have different challenges. In cricket, one of the challenges is that you have to wait for a long period, you warm-up in the morning and then you come back and wait in the dressing room, as you don’t know when you are going to bat,” he mentioned.
“Sitting there, reading the game, the situation changes so drastically. Here (in tennis) probably you have set conditions, you know what you are walking into,” he added.
Kohli additionally feels that cricket provides much less possibilities to stage a comeback into the match than tennis.
“One more challenge regarding my skills in cricket — batting — is that you have got only one chance. You don’t have much chance to make a comeback, you make one mistake and you clap for the rest of the day.
“But these guys may be down two units and a break, however nonetheless can come again and win,” he mentioned.
The 36-year-old felt that enjoying within the Wimbledon Centre Court might be thought-about a extra intimidating expertise than being at a cricket stadium due to the group’s proximity to the athletes.
“There are such wonderful stadiums to play cricket on this planet, and there’s a lot of pressure as a result of there are such a lot of individuals within the stadium. But I’d say it was not as intimidating because the Centre Court due to the space the individuals are sitting from you,” he explained.
“When we’re batting on the pitch, the followers are too distant, so you will get misplaced in your individual house. You do not hear the feedback, you do not hear the cheers and boos…,” he said.
“But yeah, if I used to be there, and the group was so shut to me then that might have been intimidating for me,” he added.
Kohli bats for Djokovic
Kohli hoped that Serbian legend Novak Djokovic wins this year’s Wimbledon for a record 25th Grand Slam.
Screengrab of Novak Djokovic thanking Virat Kohli for supporting him in the course of the Wimbledon sport on July 7, 2025
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“I have been in touch with Novak (Djokovic) for a while now. We have exchanged a few messages and he has been gracious and kind to stay in touch.”
Kohli additionally mentioned his dream ultimate can be between Djokovic and Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion right here.
“I want Carlos (Alcaraz) and Novak in the final and probably Novak win the title because that would be tremendous for him at this stage of his career, and the whole conversation of being the greatest of all time, maximum number of Grand Slams and he deserves it,” he signed off.
