India's star batter Virat Kohli is at the fag end of his international career. He has already retired from the T20I and Test formats and remains active only in ODI cricket. The right-handed batter scored two consecutive ducks in India's recent three-match series vs Australia before smashing a gritty 74 not out. After the knock, AB de Villiers, South Africa legend and his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate, urged fans to celebrate Kohli. He also appealed to them to let the Indian player find balance in life.
"I want to remind you guys, that's the kind of player you want to celebrate. Allow him to find his balance in life towards the backend of his career. Just celebrate him. He has changed the game forever. He deserves a bit of a 'thank', and hopefully you play for another five years, if you don't, we are right behind you," said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
De Villiers believes the 2027 Cricket World Cup will be Kohli's final assignment in Indian colours. However, he hopes the star to continue playing in the Indian Premier League.
"In my opinion, the 2027 World Cup will be his final go at the cherry on the cake on a finish to his career. The IPL is a different story. We might see him go for three or four or maybe even five years. It does not take a lot out of you, even if it is a very intense tournament. You can prepare for those two to three months, but a World Cup is a four-year cycle. Really big build up and takes a lot out of the body and the system and the space that you try to find yourself in, family time. We have heard Virat speak often about how important that is for him," the former South Africa player said.
De Villiers also threw light on the impact players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma have on the team.
"He (Virat) plays a huge role in that team from a mental aspect. The kind of confidence the youngsters take from his presence, you can't put a number to that. It is irreplaceable. The kind of impact they (Virat and Rohit Sharma) have on the players around them and the confidence the other players take from them is absolutely huge. Never forget that even if they do not perform sometimes, they have a huge impact," de Villiers concluded.