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India batting great Virat Kohli said in a podcast released on Friday he would consider playing in the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup if he can still “add value” to the team.
The 37-year-old Kohli, regarded as one of the most accomplished batsmen of his generation, is a hero to hundreds of millions of Indian fans.
“If I can add value to the environment that I’m a part of, and the environment feels like I can add value, I’ll be seen,” he said in the podcast posted by his IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“If I’m made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I’m not in that space.”
Kohli, who now only plays in the 50-over format for India, is the second-highest scorer in international cricket. But his India contract was downgraded from the top tier by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) this year.
“I want to play cricket and I want to carry on,” he said. “Playing a World Cup for India is amazing.”
“I am always ready because that’s my daily life. You know, I work out, we eat well at home. It is because I like living that way. It is not only to play cricket. So that is where I am. I mean, this 27 (2027 World Cup) chat and all that, honestly, for me, it is like, we are at like mid 26. But I’ve been asked so many times, do you want to play 27?,” he added.
Kohli bounced back from two consecutive ducks to hit an unbeaten 105 and lead defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a crucial win in the Indian Premier League this week.
It was his ninth hundred in the IPL, but his first this season
“After operating like this, if I have to be in a place where I have to prove my worth and value, that this is not meant to be for me,” he concluded.
Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2025, having struggled for form since retiring from T20 internationals after India’s 2024 World Cup win.
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