Virat Kohli Sets His Sights on World Cup Glory in Final India Campaign

Virat Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be his final World Cup appearance for India, with the veteran batter setting his sights on ending his international tournament career with another World Cup title.

Speaking to JioStar ahead of India's ODI series against the West Indies, Kohli said the prospect of playing his final World Cup is providing additional motivation as he prepares for another major campaign in the 50-over format.

Kohli Confirms 2027 Will Be His Final World Cup

Kohli has made it clear that the 2027 World Cup will be his last appearance at the tournament for India. The competition will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027.

The upcoming tournament is expected to be Kohli's fifth ODI World Cup. He previously represented India at the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions.

After retiring from Test cricket and T20 internationals, Kohli now remains available to India only in the ODI format at international level.

Winning the Trophy Is the Main Goal

Kohli said his motivation is straightforward: he wants India to win the World Cup. He also stressed that he is prepared to put everything into the campaign as he approaches the final World Cup of his India career.

The 2027 tournament will give Kohli another opportunity to compete for the trophy he first won with India in 2011. That victory came on home soil, while India's most recent World Cup campaign ended with defeat in the 2023 final against Australia.

2023 Final Still Provides Motivation

Kohli also reflected on India's defeat in the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad. He compared the feeling of that loss with the memories he experienced before Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally won the IPL title in 2025.

In the 2023 final, Kohli was dismissed for 54 after setting himself up for a potentially larger innings. He explained that he had believed a significant score could have placed India in a strong position before Pat Cummins bowled him.

The defeat remained difficult for him to process, and the memory now forms part of the motivation surrounding his final World Cup campaign.

Kohli Explains the Intensity of a 50-Over World Cup

The former India captain also highlighted the physical and mental demands of playing a 50-over World Cup. According to Kohli, maintaining the required intensity throughout a long tournament is particularly challenging.

Unlike a short bilateral series, a World Cup involves repeated high-pressure matches against different opponents and in different venues. The 2027 tournament will also be played in southern Africa, meaning India will have to adapt to conditions away from home.

Kohli believes that sustaining that level of intensity across the entire competition makes a 50-over World Cup a unique challenge.

A Proven World Cup Record

Kohli has already built an extensive World Cup record. Across 37 World Cup matches, he has scored 1,795 runs at an average of 59.83, including five centuries and 12 fifties.

His World Cup career includes several major individual performances, and he finished the 2023 tournament as the leading run-scorer after making 765 runs in 11 matches.

His overall ODI career has also produced remarkable numbers. Kohli has scored 14,941 ODI runs in 302 innings, with 54 centuries and 79 fifties.

India Begin the Road to 2027

India's preparations for the 2027 World Cup now move into another phase with the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. Kohli and Rohit Sharma have both been included in India's squad for the series as the team begins building towards the global tournament.

The ODI assignments leading up to 2027 will give India's management opportunities to assess combinations, player roles and squad depth before the World Cup.

Rohit Sharma Also Looks Ahead

Rohit Sharma, who like Kohli has retired from Tests and T20Is and now plays only ODIs for India, also spoke about his motivation ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Rohit said that as long as he continues playing, there will be something to look forward to. He also described an ICC tournament as a unique challenge because teams face different opponents at different venues and must adjust their preparation accordingly.

One Final World Cup Chapter

Kohli's confirmation gives the 2027 World Cup an additional personal dimension. After four previous appearances and a World Cup victory in 2011, the veteran batter will enter the next tournament knowing it will be his final World Cup for India.

His immediate focus, however, remains on the ODI cricket ahead. With the 2027 tournament still more than a year away, Kohli will now look to build towards the competition through India's ODI schedule while aiming to remain fit and productive in the format.

For Kohli, the objective is already defined: one final World Cup campaign for India, with the opportunity to compete for another global title.