Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli confirmed that the 2027 World Cup would be his last and wanted to give a memorable sign-off to his cricket career. The 37-year-old opened up about his mission to play a match-winning knock and view every game like a high-pressure chase in the final.
Ahead of the 3-match ODI series opener against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, Kohli opened up about his unfinished business. As the veteran batter promised, his preparation was in full swing.
Recently, Virat’s 86th international ton against Windies in a match-winning cause sent a clear message to the selectors that he is ready to play a crucial role for India’s next ODI World Cup triumph in South Africa.
Virat Kohli Recollects the World Cup 2023 Final Loss
The term ‘unfinished business’ about the World Cup in 2027 means Virat Kohli is keen on moving one step ahead to heal the wounds of the heartbreaking final in the 2023 edition. Here is what the Indian batting superstar said:
“See! Before we won the IPL 2025 (referring to his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru), the IPL 2016 final flashed before my eyes (referring to the 8-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad).
A similar feeling came back to me from the World Cup 2023 final. As I was well set on 54, I could have accelerated my innings to score a big hundred. Suppose I had scored 140 to 150 runs, our team would have been in a great position to secure a victory in that match. It could have helped us to score 300+ runs in a high-pressure final, and with our bowling attack, we could have tamed the opponents.
After facing Pat Cummins, it was very hard for me to accept what happened. I kept on thinking about this for many days.
As of now, there is no thought in my mind that the business is finished. As the World Cup is approaching, you need to tighten a lot of things,” Kohli said.
One Last Try To Lift the World Cup Trophy
Furthermore, the 2011 World Cup winner opened up about his last attempt to win the highly coveted trophy in South Africa. Here is what Kohli said:
“See! When you’re playing your last World Cup, it is important to lift that trophy. There could not be any better opportunity than this to stay on the field and personally give everything you have.
I have the opportunity to do that and give my best individual performance when I’m out there in the middle. You cannot get more satisfaction than when you play one of your greatest knocks as a batsman.
As an impactful player, you should pull your team out of crisis to make yourself highly competitive. I ensure I do not lose that competitive spirit inside me.
The World Cup is one such core ICC tournament filled with unique challenges. Competing against different opponents across different venues, your preparation levels should be different, and that is the main challenge.
Ultimately, my goal is to score as many match-winning knocks for my team, particularly in the final while chasing a target,” Kohli explained.
Kohli Reveals About Change in His Batting Approach
Most importantly, Virat Kohli has changed his batting style ever since he has been an active player only in ODIs. During his early days, he used to adopt a cautious start to his innings and followed a constructive method of building his innings.
However, Kohli has played several quickfire knocks in his recent ODI matches, and here is what he explained about his fearless approach:
“Yeah! The first thing is that I have promised myself to play freely and take calculated risks. Hereafter, I need not worry about the people’s mounting expectations of me. Those were the days when my role was to stabilize the innings in tough situations.
I am confident that I can play well and hit shots. Suppose you’re playing on tough pitches and you attempt big shots and barely survive; then immediately your thought process is like, ‘You stay as long as you can and continue playing like this, ’ Kohli added.
A Conscious Effort Ahead of 2027 World Cup
Furthermore, Virat Kohli explained why he wanted to opt for an aggressive approach and score additional runs that can make a huge difference in high-profile matches, particularly in World Cups.
“Certainly! This time, I am making a conscious effort to score an additional 30 to 40 runs once I am set at the crease, which can make a massive difference in the game. I should be able to take risks whenever possible and play aggressively.
However, that doesn’t mean that I will increase the pace only at the end. As the game is changing, you need to alter the approach, particularly if the pitch conditions are fast and favorable. When other teams are aiming to restrict you to 340 or 350, you should be able to score at least 350 or 360 runs.
As I am confident enough to take risks to steer our team’s total to 350 or 360 runs, it becomes important for me to bat for a long time so that I can play more big-hitting shots at the end. All I require is a little bit of freedom in my mind to open up,” Virat explained.
