‘At this stage…’: Virat Kohli’s cryptic remark sparks fresh speculation on international future

Breaking down Virat Kohli's workload after 'I’ve played most games in last 15 years' remark (AFP Photo)

Since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma haven't participated in a competitive match since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, all of the talk has focused on how the duo would perform in the three-match ODI series against Australia. Kohli, however, dismissed all the talk around rustiness, claiming he played the most games in the past 15 years and retirement from Test and T20I has finally given him time to spend with his family.

Everyone has been talking about Rohit and Kohli's futures and whether they would be able to travel to South Africa for the 2027 World Cup.

During a conversation with Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri prior to the Perth series opener, the former India head coach questioned Kohli about his preparation for the competition in Australia. "Well, to be honest, I mean, the amount of cricket I've played over the last 15-20 years, I've actually not rested at all, if that makes sense. I've probably played the most number of games in the last 15 years in international cricket, combining the IPL as well. So, for me, it was a very refreshing time off. I'm feeling as fit, if not fitter, than I've ever been before," Kohli said in response.

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It is absolutely noteworthy that Kohli has participated in 238 Indian Premier League (IPL) games and 535 international matches across formats since 2010.

"And, yeah, you can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game, and mentally you know what to do out there. It's just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of. At this stage, I realised that if my body is fit, if my reflexes are there, then the game awareness is already there. My body has to match up with it," he added.

Kohli, who won the 2025 Champions Trophy and had an incredible ICC World Cup in 2023, added that he feels rejuvenated and is still focused on remaining fit because it will help him meet the demands of the game.

"That's something that I try to keep up with. I live my life like that. And, yeah, no issues at all. I'm feeling fresh here, coming into Australia, and moving really well in the nets and in the fielding sessions as well. So, all good so far," Kohli said.