Virat Kohli Clears 2027 World Cup Intentions With Brutal Jibe

Gautam Gambhir Ajit Agarkar and Virat Kohli [Source: AFP]

The talk about Virat Kohli playing the 2027 World Cup has been the centre of multiple debates since the RCB star's superb form in the 50-over format. Although Kohli retired from the T20 and Test formats, his form in IPL 2026 has been garnering massive interest.

While addressing questions about whether he will play in the 2027 World Cup, Virat Kohli sarcastically roasted BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and India head coach Gautam Gambhir for their earlier stance on him and Rohit Sharma.

What Did Agarkar And Gambhir Say For Kohli Earlier?

Ahead of the India tour of Australia back in 2025, Ajit Agarkar declined to comment on the inclusion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the squad and whether the 2027 ODI World Cup rumours were true or not.

Agarkar was tight-lipped and only said that he had ‘no knowledge’ of their future for the 2027 ICC event. Agarkar was also non-committal about Rohit and Kohli's selection for the World Cup and said that they had not thought about the future and that there was still a lot of time left for the duo to make their decisions.

As Agarkar and Gambhir are known to have been at crossroads with the Indian star duo, Kohli's recent revelation on the RCB podcast has killed two birds with one stone.

Kohli almost hinted at his decision for the 2027 ODI World Cup while also subtly taking a dig at the BCCI top brass.

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Virat Kohli On Willingness To Play More Cricket

Replying to the host of the podcast, Sanjana Ganesan, Kohli was calm and relaxed with the approach he has taken in his cricketing career, while he also subtly mentioned how he is striving and yearning for more achievements as each day passes.

“I'm pretty good—very relaxed and happy. Yeah, I'm in a phase of my life and career where I'm just doing things that feel purposeful. Even when playing cricket, you get to a stage that goes beyond numbers, achievements, and all those kinds of things. It feels like coming full circle.

When you start off, it's all about the pure enjoyment of the game. Then, you set goals in your mind and achieve them one after another. Through that whole journey, you feel like, ‘Oh, this is the big thing. Once I get here, everything will be fine.’ But then you wake up the next morning and realize it's still going on. It's still not over. You wonder, ‘What's going on?’” Kohli said.

Virat Kohli On 2027 World Cup Chat

However, Kohli's 2027 World Cup stance became clear when he himself addressed the conversation regarding the tournament. While almost confirming his participation in the tournament, Kohli also took a dig at Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir by saying that respect and value should always be two-sided.

“So if you call me to play and say there’s a series coming up, I’m ready. I’m always ready because that’s my daily life. I work out, we eat well at home—it’s because I genuinely enjoy living that way. It’s not only about playing cricket.

So that’s where I am right now. I mean, all this talk about 2027 and everything—honestly, for me, it’s like, we’re only in the middle of 2026, right? Our job is to stay present, do what we do, and enjoy it.

But I’ve been asked so many times, ‘Do you want to play in 2027?’ I’m like… see, I’m not asking myself that question because I already know the answer. Why would I leave my home, pack my stuff, and come here thinking, ‘Ah, 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 is an amazing feeling. But as I said, the value has to be two-sided,” Virat Kohli shared.

Will Kohli Play The 2027 ODI World Cup?

This further underlines what Kohli means. The already-strained relationship between the Indian management and Kohli and Rohit Sharma has been circulating in rumours.

However, Kohli's recent admission has further cemented the fact that there has been some tussle between the players and the management regarding playing availability.

Hence, if the equations between Gambhir, Agarkar, Rohit, and Kohli get settled, it is almost a certain confirmation that Virat Kohli will be playing the 2027 ODI World Cup, especially with his staggering form in IPL 2026 and the form India is set to witness in the upcoming Afghanistan ODI series.

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