Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has said that Virat Kohli could continue playing for at least five more years as well. He could not only play the 2027 ODI World Cup but might also be part of the 2031
edition as well. Kaif’s remarks came before the second ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand.
During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Kaif said, “Look, what I see is that Virat Kohli, at the very least, if he is motivated and genuinely wants to play, if he is enjoying himself, stepping out in the India jersey to chase while the crowd is making noise, that feeling itself is an addiction. If that passion stays intact, then I think he can play for at least five more years. I am not talking about this World Cup, I am talking about the one around the next World Cup cycle. Now do not say that he will be 40 or 42 years old. He is Virat Kohli. From here, I can see at least five years.”
“If he himself remains motivated, and I am not talking about the selectors here, I am not talking about the coaches here. This battle is Virat Kohli’s own battle with himself. If that passion remains, because he has already achieved everything in the world, there is nothing left to achieve. He has now won the World Cup and the IPL as well. Even in the IPL that RCB had never won, his batting contribution was there. When his bat fired, everything followed. As a captain in Test cricket, he achieved everything,” he further added.
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“But when a player achieves so much, he often feels like saying, ‘Alright, it is time to stop now.’ However, if he remains motivated and wants to win one or two more World Cups, and his form is good, and he is enjoying his batting, which is clearly visible, then all of us watching his batting are seeing a different Virat Kohli. If he is enjoying his batting and enjoying playing match-winning innings, then I feel he can play for another four to five years in this form,” he again shared.
However, Mohammad Kaif also shared that fitness will always be on Virat Kohli’s side. Considering the way he has played in ODIs over the years, Kaif also said that he is not concerned about Kohli’s form, adding that if he continues to play with the same passion, he could feature in the next two ODI World Cups as well.
He stated, “With the kind of form he has and the fitness he maintains, he will always stay ahead in fitness. The only concern could be form, but in ODIs, as everyone knows, he has been such a great batter that I am not worried about his form at all. Now the question is about him himself, because no one will be able to drop him.”
“You will see that people are waiting for him to go out of form so that he can be removed, but that will not happen. ODI will not see that. The way he is playing and the passion he shows for the game, looking at all that, I feel he can push for another three to five years. He can play this World Cup and even one more World Cup after that,” Mohammad Kaif concluded.
