Kohli Sets ODI World Cup Participation 'Condition' In Message For BCCI: "If I Have To Prove..."

The record of scoring the most number of hundreds in the ODI format apparently isn't enough, Virat Kohli, widely categorised as the finest white-ball player in the game has ever seen, has had to address speculations around his career in the 50-over format, the only form of the game he is active in, when it comes to international cricket. From being made to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to batting for his career in the India shirt, the last year or so has seen Kohli go through a lot on the field. In a video shared by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), his Indian Premier League franchise, the batting stalwart openeed up on the push that he has felt to 'prove himself', even at this stage of his career. 

The 37-year-old, who no longer plays T20 cricket on the international circuit, is placed third in the Orange Cap list with 484 runs in 12 innings, including a century and three fifties. With ODI being the least played format in the cricketing calendar, there has been a constant chatter about the his and Rohit Sharma's place in the 2027 World Cup set-up, given the lack of international cricket time the duo gets.

Speaking on his World Cup plans for next year, in a video shared by RCB, Kohli said if he feels valued and feels he himself can add value in an environment, he is willing to play. If these 'conditions' aren't met, "he is not in that space".

"My perspective is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I am a part of, and the environment feels like I can add value, I will be seen. If I am made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I'm not in that space. Because I am being honest to my preparation," he said.

"I am being honest to how I approach the game. I put my head down. I work hard. I am very thankful to God for giving me everything that I have been given in my cricketing career. And I feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity. And when I arrive to play, I put my head down."

"I work as hard, if not harder than anyone else. And I play the game in the right way. You want me to run boundary to boundary for 40 overs in an ODI game? I will do that without a complaint. Because I prepare accordingly. I prepare for the fact that I will feel ,50 overs, every ball like it's the last ball I'm going to play in my career. And I will bat that way. And I will run between the wickets that way. And I will do everything possible for the team. After operating like this, if I have to be in a place where I have to prove my worth and value, that place is not meant to be for me," he continued.

As I said, if Kohli feels the team management or BCCI wants him to prove his worth, he'll retire the next day and that's exactly what he said.

He added "Ofc I want to play 2027 WC " pic.twitter.com/eOv07nN6fc

— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) May 15, 2026

Virat Kohli On Vijay Hazare Trophy Return

He even featured in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi after two decades, which saw him score 208 runs in two appearances, including a fiery century and a fifty, There were speculations about him giving the tournament a miss despite BCCI's mandate but he ended up making a return to the domestic 50-over format. He said that he approached the tournament with a thought process that he had nothing to prove to anyone, and he was playing it purely for the love of the game.

"There was not a single person at the Centre of Excellence (in Bengaluru, which hosted the matches). I have played for so long, and thought, will it be motivating enough? But the moment my intention switched to, I want to play because I love playing. I just love batting. And I just want to focus on that. And I could not care. It is not like I did not feel," he said.

Virat said that while featuring in VHT for Delhi, he "felt like a child again". "I was like, this is not about anyone else. This is about me and the game. And that is what it is going to be. And the moment I feel like, you know, people are trying to complicate it for me and be like, oh, but this and that. Either be clear and honest upfront or be quiet and let me play," he added.

Virat made comparisons to a regular job, where a person is backed at one point but next week, his abilities are questioned.

"It is like, why? Either tell me on day one, I am not good enough or I am not needed. Or if you have said I am good enough and you say we are not even thinking otherwise, then be quiet. You know, then don't," he said.

"If you start operating up and down because of results, you can never have a consistent stance. And I'm not someone who behaves like that. As I said, when I come to play, I know what I can deliver in terms of effort, performance," he added.

The veteran said that while nobody can guarantee performances, he is well aware the effort and commitment he puts into the game, around which he has built his lifestyle.

"I know what I can deliver because I literally live my life like that. It is not like I prepare for a series to, you know, suddenly start working hard two or three weeks before. I am like that through the year. So if you call me to play, and if you say there is a series coming up, I am ready.

"I am always ready because that's my daily life. You know, I work out, we eat well at home. It is because I like living that way. It is not only to play cricket. So that is where I am. I mean, this 27 (2027 World Cup) chat and all that, honestly, for me, it is like, we are at like mid 26. But I've been asked so many times, do you want to play 27?," he said.

"I know the answer. Like, why would I leave my home, you know, get my stuff over and be like, I don't know what I want. Of course, if I'm playing, I want to play cricket. I want to carry on. Playing a World Cup for India is amazing. But as I said, the value has to be two sides," he said.

Virat has established himself as one of the greatest ODI batters of all time, with 14,797 runs in 311 matches and 299 innings at an average of 58.71 and a strike rate of 93.82, including 54 centuries and 77 fifties.

With ANI Inputs

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