Virat Kohli at the 2027 World Cup: Kohli responded with his bat, and the coach said he is fully prepared.

There has been continuous discussion surrounding Virat Kohli's future in ODI cricket, particularly regarding his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad. However, amidst all the speculation, Kohli has made it clear that he prefers to let his bat do the talking.

Despite being dismissed for ducks in his first two competitive matches upon his return to cricket during the Australia tour, Kohli made a spectacular comeback. Since then, his form has been exceptional. In his last four international matches, he has scored two centuries and two half-centuries.

Maintaining his form in domestic cricket

Virat Kohli didn't limit this form to international cricket. Playing for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he showcased his class in domestic cricket as well.

• Against Andhra Pradesh: 131 runs
• Against Gujarat: An aggressive 77 runs

Returning to domestic cricket after a long time, Kohli demonstrated that his batting prowess remains undiminished.

Virat Kohli is now only playing ODIs

Virat Kohli has already retired from Test and T20I cricket. Currently, ODI is the only format in which he is playing for India. Given his experience and consistency, discussions about his participation in the 2027 World Cup are intensifying. His childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, believes that Kohli is fully prepared for the next ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Africa.

Childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma's strong statement

Rajkumar Sharma praised Virat Kohli profusely, calling him the most consistent performer in the Indian team. Speaking to ANI, he said: “He is in superb form and performing consistently well. He batted very well and led Delhi to victory. He played domestic cricket after a long time, yet played a brilliant innings. He has scored centuries in the last two matches and is the most consistent player in the Indian team. For me, he is completely ready for the World Cup.”

Coach defends Kohli's slow start

While Kohli's return to international cricket this year may have been subdued initially, Rajkumar Sharma clarified that a couple of poor innings don't define a player. He said: “He is a great player and knows what changes he needs to make in his batting. He has always been consistent. Sometimes one or two bad innings can happen, but that doesn't mean he has lost his touch. His record speaks for itself.”

Return to International Cricket in January

Virat Kohli will be seen in international cricket once again in January when the New Zealand team tours India. The tour will include 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is, although Kohli will only participate in the ODI series.

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025: Kohli Makes History

Returning to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after nearly a decade, Virat Kohli made history. In the match against Andhra Pradesh, he scored:

131 runs off 101 balls

Strike Rate: 129.70

14 fours and 3 sixes

With this innings, Kohli became the fastest batsman to score 16,000 runs in men's List A cricket. He achieved this record surpassing Sachin Tendulkar.

The 37-year-old Kohli is now the fastest player to reach:

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

List A runs.

Confidence Remains for the 2027 World Cup

Following his brilliant performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Rajkumar Sharma reiterated that Virat Kohli is fully prepared for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He said that Kohli is the most reliable and consistent run-scorer for the Indian team.

Reports of BCCI Discussions Regarding Kohli's Future

Earlier, media reports also claimed that the BCCI's chief selector and head coach Gautam Gambhir were going to hold a high-level meeting where a decision could be made regarding the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the 2027 World Cup. Virat Kohli's List A and ODI Statistics

Virat Kohli has once again proven that age and criticism have no effect on class. He has answered his critics by consistently scoring runs in domestic and international cricket. Given his current form and experience, it will be difficult to ignore Kohli for the 2027 ODI World Cup.