When Virat Kohli opened up about the time his family supported him, despite not completing schooling: ‘I am the third child in the house’

"I was always the one from whom there were no expectations," shared Virat Kohli

New Delhi | Updated: September 18, 2025 10:30 AM IST

3 min read

When Virat Kohli spoke about his family (Photo: BCCI)

You can always trust Virat Kohli to speak his heart out. While on many occasions, he has detailed the role his wife Anushka Sharma has played in his life, he also once spoke about how his family “well-supported” him in pursuing his dreams. “I am the third child in the house. My brother is seven years older than I, and my sister is nine years older, so I was always the one from whom there were no expectations. I did whatever I wanted to,” Kohli told Aamir Khan and Aparshakti Khurana on a 2018 Zee TV chat show.

“Fortunately, everyone likes cricket. My brother and father used to watch. I was never held back by my parents in any way. My brother was very supportive. He used to drive me to my matches. My father used to take me to a lot of my games. So, that way, I was well-supported,” added Kohli.

On the sidelines, he admitted that while the family “kept telling me to focus on studies, too”, he couldn’t complete his schooling owing to professional opportunities. “My father was very adamant that I complete my school and college. I couldn’t do either. I haven’t done the 12th. I passed the 11th. After that, I started playing under-19 in India when I was 16,” Kohli said.

Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, healer, and life coach, said that family support turned out to be liberating for Kohli. “Support means that a person can be focused and work on his/her growth. This shows how a person can be focused on doing their job thoroughly, respectfully, and without fuss,” said Delnna.

Here’s why it is crucial to have family support (Photo: Freepik)

This is the shift we need, she stressed.

“From chasing fame to choosing focus. From proving ourselves to rooting ourselves. From seeking validation to embodying value, which becomes easier with people who support you and are there for you,” said Delnna.

His family showed us what it means to live from the inside out. “To support without entitlement and to show up fully for him without pressure is rare,” said Delnna.

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