Amid retirement rumors, Dinesh Karthik revealed Virat Kohli is actively training in London and remains fully committed to playing the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup.
Virat Kohli, who stepped away from Tests and T20Is, remains determined to extend his ODI career and feature in the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup. The tournament will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik revealed that Kohli stayed focused on cricket during his extended break, training in London and attending two to three practice sessions every week. Since the 2023 World Cup, Kohli has scored 1,098 runs at an average of 64.58.
“Now that tells you the man is serious about wanting to play this World Cup. And if he is around, there is no tension, according to me. Because he knows what it takes to perform under pressure. And he has done that time and time again. And I am very confident he will do it again,” Karthik said in a video shared on his Instagram handle.
“Now that tells you the man is serious about wanting to play this World Cup. And if he is around, there is no tension, according to me. Because he knows what it takes to perform under pressure. And he has done that time and time again. And I am very confident he will do it again,” the former cricketer continued.
“The likes of (Shubman) Gill, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul – they all play attacking, positive cricket because they know Virat Kohli is there to absorb pressure. In case things go wrong, he will take care of it from one end. The latest example is the Champions Trophy against Pakistan. A bit of a wobble; he was there at 31 for 1. And then if you do take the semi-finals (vs Australia) as well, 42 for 2, he was batting there again; he got India out of a precarious situation,” Karthik added.
Virat Kohli’s record in South Africa adds to his confidence. During India’s 2018 ODI series there, he amassed 558 runs in five matches, including four centuries. The next best scorer, Shikhar Dhawan, managed 323 runs. His ability to adapt and perform under challenging conditions remains unmatched.
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Kohli and Rohit Sharma are scheduled to return to action in the upcoming ODI series against Australia, beginning on October 19.
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