Virat Kohli: 2027 World Cup will be my last

Former India captain and star batter Virat Kohli will play in the ODI series against West Indies, starting September 27, his first outing since the England tour. Ahead of the series, Kohli made a big statement about next year's ODI World Cup, saying he will give everything to win it.

In an interview on JioHotstar, Kohli said clearly that next year's ODI World Cup will be his last for India, and that winning it is his goal no matter what. Asked about the changes in his game after retiring from Tests and T20Is, Kohli said, "The biggest change I have made is that I have promised myself I will play more freely. I will not worry about what people expect from me. For some time now my role has been to keep things stable. But I know I can perform well. I know I can play my shots, but when conditions are not in your favour and you are batting on a tough pitch, that is when I feel I could go for my shots, but I have to play a set role."

Kohli then spoke about Team India's young players and captain Shubman Gill. He has also decided he will be available for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He said, "This is my last World Cup for India. That is my motivation. I want to give everything on the field. I have to win the World Cup no matter what, and that is my goal. I will do whatever it takes to achieve it." This will be Kohli's fifth ODI World Cup. He has played in two World Cup finals in his career.

Shubman Gill is India's captain in ODIs. Speaking about Gill's captaincy, Kohli said, "Gill is still learning all these things. This captaincy role is new to him right now, but he has the right mindset to lead Team India. His plans on the field are absolutely clear. Gill's thinking about the team's strategy on the field is clear. Like every captain, he will keep improving with more experience and a better understanding of situations over time. I am confident he will captain for a long time and perform very well."