He has been a fantastic player and a fantastic captain. But it’s one issue that’s plaguing him and hurting his reputation.

Earlier this week, at the third RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit in Bengaluru, Virat Kohli was the showstopper. As he inevitably has been at every event he has attended in the last decade, because such is his compelling pull, the sheer magnetism his personality portrays.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru know it better than most, of course, which is why they had scheduled his hour-long interaction with celebrated anchor and television personality Mayanti Langer right at the end of the day-long session. Several empty seats dotted the vast hall for some of the earlier sessions but as the clock slid closer to 4.30 pm, the audience trooped in organically. Even though it was strictly a by-invitation-only gathering, there was only standing room by the time the former Indian captain breezed in, cocooned by the protective blanket that has become such an integral part of his life.

For a little over an hour, Kohli was at his articulate, eloquent best. He was studied and deliberate and measured, aware that the audience hung on to his every word and that every sentiment he echoed had the potential to make big news. He held forth on the learnings he had accrued over his 18-year run in international cricket, the support and encouragement he had received from so many, provided a window to the workings of his extraordinary mind and stressed more than once that he was now driven by a ‘larger purpose’.

“If you’re only consumed and controlled by your own thoughts and the negative thoughts that you get, then you can’t really perform beyond your limitations,” he philosophised. “Because you’re already surrendered to your own negativity. And that made me realise, okay, if I can play for a larger cause, a larger purpose, then I can perform beyond my abilities that I feel I have. And that’s happened throughout the course of my career. And then eventually the load (of being the best batter in the Indian team as well as its leader) took over. I have no complaints, though. I would absolutely repeat the journey ten times over. It was that beautiful.”

It still is beautiful, Virat, the journey. After all, you still play the IPL and exceptionally well at that, and you are a key member of the 50-over international side. There is so much you have to offer the cricketing world with your expertise, your experience, your professionalism, your commitment and passion and work ethic, your discipline, your desire, your competitiveness, your aggression.