Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli has confirmed that the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia will be his last World Cup for India. Notably, Kohli has already bid adieu to T20Is and Test cricket.
Speaking to JioStar, Kohli revealed that his only goal right now is to win the World Cup for Team India after missing out by a whisker in the ODI World Cup 2023, losing to Australia in the grand finale in Ahmedabad.
“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India. And that is my motivation. Like, you know, to leave everything out there. And of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup. And whatever it takes, I’m absolutely ready,” Kohli told JioStar.
Kohli, who scored 765 runs in 11 innings in the ODI World Cup 2023 to emerge as the leading run-scorer of the tournament, stated that the mega event is the most challenging in terms of intensity.
“The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it’s about 10 games at a T20 level of intensity. But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament — the World Cup is a big deal. Also, now it’s in foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of you,” he added.
It’s important to note that Kohli is currently the second-leading run-scorer for Team India in ODIs in the ongoing calendar year, amassing 384 runs in six innings at an average of 64 with a century and three half-centuries.
Further, Kohli is the second-leading run-scorer across ODI World Cup games, accumulating 1795 runs in 37 games at an average of 59.83 with five centuries and 12 half-centuries, only behind Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 2278 runs.
