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Virat Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be his last World Cup for India, bringing clarity to one of the biggest questions surrounding the veteran batter's ODI future.
Virat Kohli made the announcement while speaking to broadcaster JioStar ahead of India's three-match ODI series against West Indies, which begins in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27.
“For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India,” Kohli said, explaining that the prospect of one final World Cup campaign is a major motivation for him.
The 2027 tournament will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, giving Kohli another opportunity to compete for the World Cup title on the biggest stage of ODI cricket.
Kohli targeting one final World Cup campaign
Kohli said his objective is clear: to give everything in pursuit of another World Cup title with India.
The 37-year-old has already been part of four ODI World Cups and was a member of India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad. He also played in India's 2015 and 2019 campaigns before scoring 765 runs during the 2023 tournament, when India reached the final.
Kohli has now retired from both Test cricket and T20 internationals, leaving ODI cricket as his only format for India.
His latest statement therefore establishes the 2027 World Cup as his final World Cup appearance, although it does not by itself announce a specific date for his retirement from ODI cricket.
A final World Cup after two very different campaigns
Kohli has experienced both the high and low points of India's recent World Cup history.
He was part of the side that won the 2011 tournament on home soil and later played a central role in India's campaigns in 2015, 2019 and 2023.
At the 2023 World Cup, played in India, Kohli finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 765 runs, including three centuries. India reached the final but lost to Australia in Ahmedabad.
The 2027 tournament will therefore represent another opportunity for Kohli to finish his World Cup career with another title challenge.
Kohli remains focused on ODI cricket
Kohli's decision to continue in the 50-over format had already been made clear earlier this year.
In May, the ICC reported that Kohli was fully committed to playing in the 2027 World Cup and said he was preparing specifically for the tournament. At that point, he had already retired from T20Is and Tests but remained part of India's ODI setup.
His latest comments provide a significant additional piece of information: 2027 will be his final World Cup for India.
Kohli currently has 54 ODI centuries, the most in men's ODI cricket, and has scored more than 14,000 runs in the format.
India begin their 2027 World Cup preparations
Kohli's announcement comes on the eve of India's home ODI series against West Indies.
The three-match series begins in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, followed by matches in Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3.
Kohli and Rohit Sharma are both back in India's ODI setup, while Shubman Gill continues as captain. The series therefore begins an important phase of India's preparations for the 2027 World Cup.
For Kohli, however, the long-term picture is now clearer: the 2027 World Cup will be his final World Cup campaign for India, with the batter aiming to make one last attempt at lifting the trophy.
