Virat Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be his final tournament representing India. Speaking ahead of the ODI series opener against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, the batter stated that the tournament in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia serves as his primary motivation to continue playing the 50-over format.
“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India. And that is my motivation and like, you know, to leave everything out there,” Kohli said.
The announcement follows Kohli’s retirement from T20 Internationals after the 2024 World Cup and his departure from Test cricket in May 2025. Now focused on ODIs, Kohli explained that the 50-over format presents unique physical demands compared to shorter versions of the game.
“The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything,” Kohli explained. “Because now, it’s about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity. But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day.”
While prioritizing a team victory, Kohli revealed a specific ambition for the 2027 final. “My dream is to play a match-winning knock in the finals while chasing a score. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen, we win the World Cup, I’ll be as happy,” he said.
The veteran enters the current series against the West Indies with 14,941 ODI runs and 54 centuries, trailing only Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time run-scoring list for the format. This three-match series marks a new phase for the squad under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, who took over the ODI leadership as the team builds toward the 2027 tournament scheduled for October and November.
India begins the series today at the Greenfield International Stadium, with the squad looking to refine their combinations ahead of Kohli’s final year in international colors.
