Virat Kohli might be one of India’s most dominant batters today, but when he first broke into the national side, he didn't feel like he belonged. Speaking to RCB, Kohli shared how self-doubt and modest expectations marked the start of his international journey. The young Delhi batter, fresh from U19 success, found himself measuring his game against seasoned professionals. But what kept him going was the determination. "I was being realistic about my abilities because I have seen a lot of people play. I did not feel like my game was anywhere close to theirs. The only thing I had was determination, and I was willing to do anything to make my team win," he told RCB. He also revealed that it was his mindset that first earned him a place in the Indian XI. "That was the very reason why I got to play for India initially. Gary [Kirsten] and MS [Dhoni] made it clear that we are backing you to play at Number three, this is what you can do for the team and what you represent on the field — your energy and engagement is the biggest value to us. So we want you to play that way." “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘌. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦… pic.twitter.com/n0DErxgonp — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 6, 2025 ‘I’m not going to give up’: Kohli says hunger drove his evolution Kohli was honest about not being seen as a natural match-winner early on. He revealed that he embraced the identity of a fighter, someone who refused to back down, even when the odds were against him. "I was never looked at as an outright match winner who can change the game from anywhere, but I had this thing... I’m going to stay in the fight, I’m not going to give up. This is what they backed." Also Read: "He had the big impact on me": Virat Kohli names RCB player who shaped his career He also credited divine blessings for the career that transformed from a promising youngster to a world-class player. "That very thing that God blessed me with helped me through my game. I’m not the most technically sound or very gifted player. I evolved a lot while I was playing. I was keen to learn and wanted to be better." Also READ: "I’ve always had a better chance...": Jaydev Unadkat explains KL Rahul dismissal Kohli also revealed that he always wanted to be the best, and that drove him through his career. "There is no doubt, I wanted to be the best. That hunger and desire helped me through my career." Kohli will be back in action in the IPL 2025 on May 9, where RCB will take on Lucknow Super Giants. The table-toppers need two more wins to finish at the top of the points table.