Virat Kohli has said the 2027 ODI World Cup will be his final tournament for India, putting a date on the end of one of cricket’s great careers.

‘For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India,’ Kohli told broadcaster JioStar ahead of India’s ODI series against the West Indies on September 26. ‘The goal is absolutely to win the World Cup, and whatever it takes, I’m absolutely ready.’

The 37-year-old has already retired from T20 internationals and from Tests in May 2025. ODI cricket is his only remaining international format, and the 2027 edition, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will be his fifth World Cup.

Kohli has scored 14,941 ODI runs, second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s 18,426, and holds the record with 54 ODI centuries. He was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning side and the team that lost the 2023 final to Australia.

He called the 50-over World Cup the toughest challenge in cricket: ‘The intensity is greater than anything… to maintain that for 10 games is a big deal.’ Why it matters: India has a year to plan its post-Kohli middle order, with Shubman Gill already ODI captain.