Top 5 Players Whose Careers were Ruined by Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, one of India’s greatest batsmen, recently became the fastest to score 25,000 international runs. With 74 international centuries, he earned the title of ‘run-machine.’ As captain, Kohli groomed many young talents—but some players reportedly saw their careers decline due to lack of support or selection under his leadership. Here are the Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli.

Let`s take a look at the Top 5 Players Whose Careers were Ruined by Virat Kohli:

5. Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh was the star of India’s 2011 World Cup win, earning Player of the Tournament for his all-round brilliance. After battling cancer, he made a strong comeback to international cricket. However, his struggle in the 2014 T20 World Cup final marked the start of his decline. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli often includes Yuvraj, as many believe he didn’t get enough support under Kohli’s captaincy. He retired from international cricket in June 2019.

4. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir was a reliable opener and a key figure in India’s 2007 T20 and 2011 World Cup victories. However, his well-known fallout with Virat Kohli—highlighted by a heated exchange during an IPL 2023 match—remains one of the league’s most controversial moments. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli often features Gambhir, as he received limited backing under Kohli’s leadership. Despite strong IPL performances, he was never recalled to the national side, while others like Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan were consistently favored.

3. Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina was one of India’s most dependable middle-order batsmen and the first Indian to score a T20I century. With over 200 ODIs and 78 T20Is, he played a key role in India’s 2011 and 2015 World Cup campaigns and thrived under MS Dhoni’s leadership. However, under Virat Kohli, Raina saw limited opportunities and gradually faded from the national setup. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli often includes Raina, as many feel he was unfairly sidelined. His last international match came in 2018, and he retired in 2020 alongside Dhoni, at just 34 years old.

2. Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar, a promising young leg-spinner, was part of India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 but didn’t make much impact as the team faced an early exit. After the tournament, he was dropped and hasn’t been picked for international matches since. Despite limited chances, Chahar has solid numbers—3 wickets in his only ODI and 7 wickets in 6 T20Is at an average of 23.85 and an economy of 7.59. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli often includes Chahar, as critics believe he wasn’t given enough backing under Kohli’s leadership. Still only 23, he may yet make a comeback.

1. Thangarasu Natarajan

Thangarasu Natarajan was a rising star who impressed everyone with his performances during India’s 2021 tour of Australia. He took 3 wickets in his only Test, along with 3 wickets in 2 ODIs and 7 wickets in 4 T20Is—maintaining an economy rate just over 7 in both white-ball formats. Despite his promising start, Natarajan vanished from the national setup after his last appearance in March 2021 against England. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli often includes Natarajan, as many feel he wasn’t backed enough during Kohli’s captaincy, missing out on further opportunities despite strong performances.

Conclusion

Virat Kohli’s captaincy brought great success to Indian cricket, but not every player thrived under his leadership. Top 5 Players Whose Careers Were Ruined by Virat Kohli—including Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Rahul Chahar, and Thangarasu Natarajan—highlight how some talents were sidelined or lacked support. While Kohli built many careers, these cases reveal the tough side of aggressive captaincy.

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