Virat Kohli, the 36-year-old batting legend of the Indian national cricket team, is almost a part of the plans for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, according to recent reports.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. South Africa will host 44 matches across eight venues, while Zimbabwe and Namibia will host the remaining 10 matches.
Virat Kohli involved in India’s 2027 World Cup plans
The wait for the GOAT – Virat Kohli – to return to international cricket is almost over. He will don the India jersey for the first time since March 2025 in the upcoming series against Australia.
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The opening ODI series between India and Australia will be played in Perth on Sunday 19th October, with the next two matches being held in Adelaide and Sydney on 23rd and 25th October.
Kohli is currently a single-format player at international level, retiring from T20I cricket in 2024 and Test cricket earlier this year. Being an ODI player has significantly diminished Virat Kohli’s presence in international cricket as 50-over matches are hardly played these days.
At 36 years old, Kohli is still at the peak of his fitness and has received a lot of support from former cricketers to extend his ODI career and get a chance to play in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
However, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted that Virat Kohli’s ODI future is uncertain and urged him to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) to stay in contention for the next 50-over World Cup.
Recently, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the Australia tour will not be a farewell series for Kohli, while top sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India said that the great batsman of the modern era is all but part of the plans for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
“Breaking news: Virat Kohli has big plans for 2027 World Cup – BCCI top source,” News24 journalist Vaibhav Bohra wrote in X.
BREAKING BIG NEWS:
Virat Kohli has big plans for 2027 World Cup – BCCI top sources. pic.twitter.com/Ps4qajbe6x
— VibhuBhola 🇮🇳 (@VibhuBhola) October 16, 2025
We were literally dying but he cuts one or two and runs – Australian bowler Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has scored 2451 ODI runs against Australia at an average of 54.46 and for Australia he has scored 1327 runs in 29 ODI matches at an average of 51.03.
Recently, in a podcast shared by cricket.com.au, Kane Richardson recalled the 2017 ODI match between India and Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Kohli scored 92 runs in this match, which turned out to be hell for the Australians in the scorching heat.
“I remember one game in Kolkata where it was really hot and Matty Wade was keeping – I remember him literally throwing up while I was running in. Zamps gave him a drink. I was giving, and I thought, ‘Someone’s running in to the bowl.’ And Zumps said, ‘Patty, the bowler is running in.’ And he’s like, ‘I know,’ and he’s still just sitting there.
“Even if the ball hits him, he’ll just stand up. We were literally on the verge of death, but he clips one or two and runs like he’s on an air-conditioned treadmill,” Richardson added.
Richardson added that the Australians were so tired they couldn’t even talk, while Kohli was on another level fitness-wise. he said:
“I’ll talk to anyone who was there that day. There was footage of guys with ice necklaces, but no one had any sex appeal on their faces. No one spoke. Even when we came out of the turnstiles, it was complete silence because no one had any energy.”
“In terms of the most high-profile players, that’s probably not the most notable player for a lot of people, but I remember thinking at that moment that this guy is on a whole other level no matter what condition he is in.”
Also read: ‘India is the big daddy of world cricket’: Ravi Shastri makes surprising remarks ahead of IND vs AUS series