Virat Kohli made his stance on the 2027 ODI World Cup crystal clear while stressing that he will continue only if he is valued without needing to “prove” himself repeatedly.
India batting superstar Virat Kohli has finally addressed the growing speculation around his participation in the 2027 Cricket World Cup. The former India captain, who now represents the national side only in ODI cricket after retiring from T20Is and Tests, revealed that his continuation in the format depends on one major factor, mutual trust and respect.
Speaking on a podcast with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli explained that he no longer plays the game to silence critics or prove his credentials to anyone. Instead, the veteran batter said his focus remains on contributing honestly to the team environment while enjoying the game he loves.
“My perspective is very clear. 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. If I’m made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I’m not in that space, and because I’m being honest to my preparation, I’m being honest to how I approach the game,” he said.
“I put my head down, I work hard, I’m very thankful to God for giving me everything that I’ve been given in my cricketing career, and I feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity. And when I arrive to play, I put my head down, I work as hard, if not harder than anyone else, and I play the game in the right way. You want me to run boundary to boundary for 40 overs in an ODI game? I will do that without a complaint, because I prepare accordingly. I prepare for the fact that I will feel 50 overs every ball like it’s the last ball I’m going to play in my career, and I will back that way, and I will run between the wickets that, and I will do everything possible for the team after operating like this. If I have to be in a place where I have to prove my worth and value, that place is not meant to be for me. And I am very clear in my head from that perspective.”
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Kohli Reflects On His Return After Australia Tour
The 37-year-old also recalled his mental approach after returning from the Australia series, where he later produced back-to-back centuries against South Africa. Kohli admitted that rediscovering the joy of batting helped him regain clarity and freedom in his game.
“When I went back to play, I was very clear in my head, I’m not going out there to prove anything to anyone. I am going to play because I love playing the game. That’s how I played Vijay Hazare (Trophy) as well. Yeah, I was playing. There was not a lot of fun, was that it was amazing. It was not a person in the Centre of Excellence, COE,” he said.
“Firstly, I thought, you know, how I played for so long, and will it be motivating enough? But the moment my intention switched to I want to play because I love playing, I just love batting and I just want to focus on that, and I could not care. It’s not like I didn’t field. I fielded the whole game, and I was diving around, and I felt like a child again. I was like, this is not about anyone else, this is about me and the game, and that’s what it’s going to be. And the moment I feel like, you know, people are trying to complicate it for me, and be like, oh, but this and that, either be clear and honest upfront, or be quiet and let me play,” he added.
Virat Kohli’s ‘Be Quiet’ Remark Sparks Attention
Kohli also delivered a powerful statement regarding how players should be treated by team management and decision-makers. The batting icon stressed that consistency in communication is important and said uncertainty around a player’s role can create unnecessary complications.
“Look, if you, if you go to your workplace, right? Yeah, and if people say we believe in your abilities, and then a week later they start questioning the way you operate, it’s like, why either tell me on day one, I’m not good enough, or I’m not needed, or if you have said I’m good enough, and you say we’re not even thinking otherwise. Then be quiet, you know. Then don’t. If you start operating up and down because of results, you can never have a consistent stance. And I’m not someone who behaves like that.
As I said, when I come to play, I know what I can deliver in terms of effort, performance — no one can guarantee performance in any space. But in terms of effort and commitment, I know what I can deliver, because I literally live my life like that. It’s not like I prepared for a series to, you know, suddenly start working hard two or three weeks before. I’m like that through the year, so if you call me to play, and if you say there’s a series coming up, I’m ready. I’m always ready, because that’s my daily life, you know. I work out, I, we eat well at home. It’s because I like living that that way.”
“Why would I leave my, my home, you know, get my stuff over, and be like, I don’t know what I want. Of course, if I’m playing, I want to play cricket. I want to carry on playing a World Cup for India,” Kohli added.
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