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Virat Kohli opens up on 2015 World Cup side and the mental toll of India's 2019 semifinal exit

Star batsman Virat Kohli recently shared his perspective on the differences between India's white-ball squads across generations, suggesting that Shubman Gill's current group possesses superior batting depth and firepower compared to the lineup that contested the 2015 tournament under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Kohli noted that the 2015 team leaned heavily on a few senior figures like Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Shikhar Dhawan while still featuring younger players who lacked the composure to rescue the innings from deep trouble single-handedly.

Reflecting further, Kohli contrasted the 2015 exit against Australia with the devastating semi-final defeat to New Zealand in 2019, admitting that the latter left him mentally exhausted and struggling for months afterward. That rainy encounter concluded dramatically when Martin Guptill executed a decisive run-out against Dhoni, sealing an eighteen-run victory for the opponents.

Having endured such heavy emotional burdens during his own playing career, Kohli now channels those lessons into supporting Gill as the current group prepares for future international tournaments.

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