In the high-stakes world of international cricket, where every run counts and every wicket can change the course of a match, players often find themselves battling more than just their on-field opponents. 

The pressures of the sport, combined with the relentless scrutiny of the public eye, make the game mentally and emotionally exhausting. For Virat Kohli, the key to maintaining his equilibrium is family.

Speaking at the RCB Innovational Lab Indian Sports Summit ahead of IPL 2025, Kohli reiterated the importance of having family around during tours, highlighting the grounding effect it has on players. "It's very difficult to explain to people how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time you have something intense happening on the outside," he said.

Kohli's comments come in the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issuing a directive limiting the time players can spend with their families while on tour. The new policy allows families to join players only after the first two weeks on long tours and restricts their stay to 14 days. For shorter tours, the limit is set at one week.

"If you ask any player, 'Do you want your family to be around you all the time?' You'll be like, yes. I don't want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk," Kohli remarked, underlining the emotional support system a family provides. "I want to be able to be normal."

Kohli's impassioned advocacy for family presence on tours highlights a fascinating contrast in his persona. On one hand, he is an intensely aggressive competitor, a player known for his fiery on-field presence. On the other, he is a devoted family man who cherishes the balance that his personal life provides.

This duality was evident during India's recent Test series in Australia, where Kohli's name made headlines not only for his performances but also for his aggressive approach—most notably in Melbourne, where he shoulder-charged Australian debutant Sam Konstas. Asked about this on-field intensity, Kohli responded with his characteristic candor. "It's naturally kind of getting tapered down again. People are not happy about that either. Earlier, my aggression was a problem, now my calmness is a problem."

For Kohli, aggression is a means to an end—a tool to drive his team to victory. "Yes, I do have tendencies to go overboard. And I've never shied away from that. But the starting point is care. I want this all to be an event that helps my team win."

As Kohli's career has progressed, so too has his approach to handling competition. While he admits to moments of frustration on the field, he believes his mindset remains as competitive as ever. "My competitiveness has not gone down. You can still be aggressive in your mind, but you don't necessarily need to express it out there every now and then out of frustration."

For Kohli, the presence of family serves as a grounding force, allowing him to compartmentalize his professional and personal life. "You finish that responsibility, and you come back to life," he explained. "For me, that is absolutely a day of immense pleasure. And I won't miss any opportunities to go out and spend time with my family whenever I can."

As cricket continues to demand peak performance from its athletes, Kohli's advocacy for family presence on tours is a timely reminder of the human side of the game. In the relentless world of professional sports, sometimes, the greatest support comes not from the dressing room, but from home.