Kohli says 2027 World Cup will be his last for India
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
Sept 26 : Virat Kohli said next year's 50-overs World Cup would be his last for India and he is ready to give his all to help lift the trophy.
Kohli, the leading century-maker in ODIs with 54 hundreds, retired from T20 internationals and Test cricket earlier and now represents India only in the 50-over format.
The 37-year-old batter, who has scored 14,941 runs in one-day internationals, second only to Sachin Tendulkar's 18,426, won the World Cup on home soil in 2011 before suffering defeat in the 2023 final against Australia.
The 2027 edition, to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October to November, will be Kohli's fifth ODI World Cup.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
"For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India," Kohli told broadcaster JioStar on Saturday.
"That is my motivation and 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 said the demands of a 50-over World Cup made it one of cricket's toughest challenges, particularly with the tournament set to be played away from home.
"The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it's about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity," he said.
"But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal. Also now, it's in foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of you."
Former captain Rohit Sharma, who also plays only ODIs for India, said he remained fully motivated by the prospect of another World Cup campaign.
"The thought will never cross my mind that the business I had is finished," Rohit said.
"As long as you're playing, there is always something to look forward to. And I'm looking forward to the World Cup."
Kohli and Rohit were both named in India's squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies. The opening match will be played in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Newsletter
Recommended Read
Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read
A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app