Indian batting legend Virat Kohli has revealed that the 2027 ODI World Cup will serve as his final appearance in the global tournament. The 37-year-old, who currently focuses exclusively on the 50-over format following his retirement from Test and T20 international cricket, expressed his determination to secure the title one last time. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal.
“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India,” Kohli stated during an interview with broadcaster JioStar ahead of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies beginning Sunday. He added that his primary motivation is to leave everything on the field, noting that the ultimate goal remains winning the championship by any means necessary. The goal is absolutely to win the World Cup and whatever it takes,” he said, and of course.
Kohli, a veteran of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad, emphasized that the 50-over format demands more physically and mentally than T20 cricket. “The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything,” he explained, citing the challenge of maintaining elite performance levels over a grueling ten-game stretch in foreign conditions. He was also part of the India side that won the 2011 World Cup under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Currently, Kohli boasts a remarkable career record with 14,941 runs and 54 centuries in one-day international cricket. His long-time teammate Rohit Sharma, 39, also transitioned away from T20 internationals following India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory, a year after the team’s narrow loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
As India ramps up preparations for the 2027 event, team batting coach Sitanshu Kotak highlighted the impact of the senior duo on the squad. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kotak remarked, “I actually believe the team environment is brilliant. Everyone knows there is just one year to go for the World Cup,” noting that the experience of players like Kohli and Sharma provides a significant boost to the dressing room.
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