Kohli: "It's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India"
Virat Kohli said the next year's ODI World Cup will be the last he will play for India, speaking to JioStar ahead of the ODI series against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, which begins on September 27, 2026. "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," he said.
Kohli, 37, now plays only one format and will turn 38 in November 2026, the interview noted. He has previously been part of an ODI World Cup-winning side under Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2011. The World Cup he referenced will be hosted jointly by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
On the tournament's demands, Kohli said a 50-over World Cup requires sustained intensity. "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 and World Cup is a big deal. Also now, it's in foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of you," he said.
His teammate and former captain Rohit Sharma, 39, also addressed the World Cup and described it as unfinished business for him. "The thought will never cross my mind that the business I had is finished. As long as you're playing, there is always something to look forward to. And I'm looking forward to the World Cup, looking at what lies ahead for me," he said.
Sharma also commented on the specific challenges of ICC tournaments, noting the need to adapt preparations for different opponents and venues. "When the World Cup is played, when we play an ICC tournament, it has its own unique challenge, because you face different opponents, you play at different venues. So, you have to prepare differently, think in a different way, and that is the challenge," Sharma said.
The first ODI of West Indies' tour of India is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026, starting at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.
