Every show that you do, there will be a few questions on whether Virat Kohli can play World Cup 2027. People have even asked if Gautam Gambhir or Ajit Agarkar would want him to do so. It is as if there is always a Kohli-versus-Gambhir subplot.
First things first. No one but Kohli will decide whether he wants to play on or not. Does he have the hunger and the zeal to do so? Does he still want it as badly? Does he want to put forward his name for selection? It is entirely his call. No selection committee or coach can come and tell him not to put his name forward. Yes, they can indeed take a call on the basis of performance. If Kohli doesn’t score in three consecutive series, for example, the coach or the management might argue that they need to look beyond him. But if he continues to score and score big, as he has done right through his white-ball career, there are no two ways that he will be around for World Cup 2027.
Having said that, there are a few ifs and buts. First, the tournament is two years away. Second, it will all depend on how Kohli shapes up in the next year or so, and how he works out the domestic-cricket requirement. As a contracted cricketer, he is bound by the same rules as others, and he will need to figure out a way to be part of the domestic calendar. It is now mandatory, and every cricketer has to do it. Kohli will not be an exception to the rule. Finally, whether his body allows him to carry on without fear of injuries could decide his future.
As for Kohli-versus-Gambhir, the truth is that both are professionals. Both know what their job is. While they don’t need to go out and dine together with families, they will indeed do what is best for Indian cricket. If Kohli continues to perform, Gambhir as head coach will want him in the side, for there is no doubt that he is a match-winner. And nothing else matters, or should matter. Personal differences can never come in the way of professional conduct. Every high-performance sportsperson has an ego and that’s only natural. But that can never come in the way of his or her professional behaviour.
While it is impossible to put a finger on whether Kohli will be around, let me say this clearly – I haven’t seen anything yet to suggest that he will not be. That he has been training and that he is in Australia tells me he still has the hunger to make a contribution. That he still wants to be out there, doing a job for himself and the team. That he still has the motivation to win games for India and add to his legacy. A sum of all this does give his fans hope. There is more to come from Kohli and World Cup 2027 could still be a reality.
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