Virat Kohli Targets 2027 World Cup Redemption With India

Virat Kohli has described the 2027 ODI World Cup as his last in India colours and said winning the trophy is the overriding target as he prepares for what he hopes will be a defining final campaign. Kohli said he is ready to give everything for the tournament, which is scheduled to be played in southern Africa late in 2027.

The former India captain acknowledged there is “a little bit” of unfinished business following India’s defeat to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad. For Kohli, the memory remains significant because India had entered the final in strong form and the squad believed it could complete a home triumph.

2023 final remains a major motivation

Kohli recalled being on 54 in the final before he was dismissed by Pat Cummins, saying he had set himself up for a substantial score. He felt an innings of 140 or 150 could have put India in a strong position, with a total above 300 giving their bowling attack a platform in the final.

He said the dismissal was difficult to process for many days and that the loss has stayed with him. Kohli compared that feeling to the flashbacks he experienced from Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2016 IPL final defeat before the franchise won the competition in 2025.

The 2023 campaign itself, Kohli said, had been a positive experience within the Indian group. He pointed to the team’s camaraderie and the way the side responded after Hardik Pandya’s early injury in the tournament. Mohammed Shami’s impact after coming into the side helped maintain the belief that the World Cup could belong to India, according to Kohli.

That contrast between a strong campaign and a final defeat is central to the significance of 2027. Kohli, who won the ODI World Cup with India in 2011, said the aim is simply to lift the trophy, regardless of whether he gets the individual opportunity to finish the final himself.

He nevertheless outlined his ideal conclusion: a match-winning finishing innings in a final chase. Kohli said his competitive instinct is to want to win games for the team and that he would like to contribute in as many matches as possible during the tournament. But he stressed that an India title would be the priority even if his personal finishing-knock scenario did not materialise.

A freer approach in ODI cricket

Kohli is now a one-format international player after retiring from Tests and T20Is, as is Rohit Sharma. The focus on 50-over cricket has coincided with a strong recent ODI return. Before the start of 2025, Kohli’s ODI average stood at 58.18; it has since risen to 58.59, aided by an average of 64.68 in that period.

His scoring rate has also increased. Kohli’s ODI strike rate was 93.54 through the end of 2024 and has been 99.80 since then. He attributed the shift to a conscious promise to play with more freedom and to avoid being held back by expectations around his traditional role as a stabilising batter.

Kohli said he knows he can play shots and has sought to be more willing to take risks once established. Rather than merely maintaining a steady rate, he wants to create a platform to accelerate and add 30 or 40 extra runs for the team.

He linked that mindset to the changing demands of ODI cricket, particularly in fast-paced and favourable conditions where opponents may push towards totals of 340 or 350. Kohli said India should be capable of reaching 350 or 360 as well, and that batting deeper into an innings can give him greater scope to score rapidly at the end.

With the 2027 World Cup still more than a year away, Kohli’s message is clear: the tournament represents both a final opportunity and a powerful source of motivation. India’s attempt to reclaim the ODI World Cup will carry special personal meaning for one of its most accomplished 50-over players.