India veteran Virat Kohli has said he would consider playing the 2027 ODI World Cup only if he believes he can still add value to the team, stating that he has nothing left to prove in international cricket.
The 37-year-old, who retired from T20 internationals after India’s 2024 World Cup triumph and ended his Test career last year, is currently active only in the ODI format. The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Kohli has featured in 311 ODIs, scoring 14,797 runs at an average of 58.71, making him one of the format’s most prolific batters behind Sachin Tendulkar.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kohli said his focus remains on performance and contribution rather than selection guarantees.
“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,” Kohli said.
“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,” he added.
He stressed that he would not seek selection if he felt his place needed to be justified externally.
“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,” Kohli said.
The former India captain also reflected on consistency and scrutiny in international cricket, noting that performance expectations often shift quickly in elite sport.
Kohli has recently returned to the Indian Premier League and has already scored a century in the current season.
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