Cricket legend Virat Kohli is reportedly making serious preparations for the **2027 World Cup**, as confirmed by his Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate and former India player, Dinesh Karthik. Despite being on a break in London before the upcoming ODI series against Australia, the 36-year-old star batsman has been diligently maintaining his rigorous cricket training.
Karthik’s revelation leaves no doubt about Kohli’s ambition. “He is keen to play the World Cup 2027,” Karthik stated in a recent interaction. “In London, he was training during this big lay-off that he has had after a long time in his life. He was practising cricket, 2-3 sessions a week. He is serious about wanting to play the World Cup 2027.” This dedication underscores Kohli’s unwavering commitment to the sport.
Kohli’s illustrious career already boasts an incredible record, standing as **India’s second-highest run-scorer in One Day Internationals**. He has amassed a staggering 14,181 runs from 302 matches and 290 innings, showcasing an exceptional average of 57.88 and a strike rate over 93. His prolific batting includes 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries, with a personal best of 183 runs.
His performance in 2023 saw him score 275 runs in seven innings, with an average of 45.83, including one century and two fifties. More recently, during India’s triumph at the ICC Champions Trophy in March, Kohli was a pivotal player, contributing 218 runs in just five matches. This included a magnificent century against Pakistan and a vital 84 runs in the semifinals against Australia.
Notably, Kohli has a phenomenal track record when playing in Australian conditions. Across 29 ODIs in the country, he has scored 1,327 runs at an impressive average of 51.03 and a strike rate exceeding 89. His exceptional performances there include five centuries and six fifties, highlighted by an unbeaten 133.
His recent encounters against Australia further underscore his consistent prowess, with his last five innings against them yielding scores of 54, 56, 85, 54, and 84. When playing in Australia specifically, his last five innings reflect strong contributions: 104, 46, 21, 89, and 63.
The provisional ODI squad announced for the upcoming series against Australia features **Shubman Gill as captain**, with **Shreyas Iyer named as vice-captain**. The strong lineup also includes familiar names such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, indicating a blend of experienced players and emerging talent.