I'd no belief, tank was empty: Kohli on quitting IPL captaincy
New Delhi (PTI): Star India batter Virat Kohli has opened up on his decision to step down as skipper of Royal Challengers Bangalore after 2021 season, saying he had no "belief" and his "tank was absolutely empty" towards the end of his IPL captaincy tenure.
RCB had a horror run in 2019 when they lost six games in a row to eventually finish at the bottom of the IPL table. They were wooden spooners in the 2017 edition as well.
Kohli quit as RCB captain after the 2021 season with South Africa's Faf du Plessis taking over the reins.
"The time when my captaincy tenure was coming to an end here, I was left with no belief, to be very honest. I was gone, the tank was absolutely empty," Kohli said during his motivational speech to the RCB women's team ahead of their clash against UP Warriorz in the WPL on Wednesday.
"But that was my own perspective, that was me just an individual saying that I have seen so much of this, I can't just manage it, handle it anymore."
RCB hade made it to the playoffs in the 2020 edition for the first time since 2016 season and also reached the knockouts in the next two editions.
"But the next season, new people came in, they had new ideas, there was an another opportunity. They were excited, may be as an individual I wasn't that excited. But they created the energy and we reached the playoffs three years in a row," Kohli said.
"Now we start every season with the excitement that was before and I feel excited now, the person who was not up to the mark. So it is a colective responsibility, if someone is feeling down as well, the others can pull them up."
Kohli's decision to quit RCB captaincy came after he had made up his mind to step down as India's T20 skipper, following the 2021 T20 World Cup. He was later removed as ODI captain and soon after quit as Test captain as well.
The 34-year-old from Delhi said there has been phases in his career when he felt insecure and tried to save his reputation.
"...I have needed constant reminders, even from youngsters, because they have a fresh perspective. I have been under pressure because I have played for so long, I have been insecure, I have tried my performances, my reputation like 'Oh I am Virat Kohli, I have to perform in every game. I can't afford to get out'.
"But these youngsters come and tell me, 'why didn't you hit the ball?' and I was like, 'he is right'. I couldn't think about it because I am so caught up with me, me, me and what I should do and how people are looking at me and all that stuff that I forgot how to play the game."
Kohli recently cracked a superb 186 against Australia in the drawn fourth and final Test, ending a three-year wait to get to his 28th Test century.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
