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Ashwin Jokes Kohli Playing for England After Century; Kohli Eyes 2027 World Cup Exit
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News18•28-09-2026, 21:55
Ashwin Jokes Kohli Playing for England After Century; Kohli Eyes 2027 World Cup Exit
- •Ravichandran Ashwin humorously suggested Virat Kohli was "playing for England in England" after his rapid 139 not out against West Indies, highlighting the flat pitches often seen in England.
- •Kohli's unbeaten 139 off 88 balls, featuring ten fours and nine sixes, was one of his fastest ODI centuries, helping India chase down 296 in under 42 overs.
- •Ashwin praised Kohli's "remarkable" batting flow and his conscious decision to increase his tempo, even late in his career, as a testament to his continuous self-improvement.
- •Kohli has expressed his desire to play in the 2027 World Cup but indicated he might retire from international cricket afterward.
- •Ashwin supported Kohli's potential 2027 retirement, noting the immense effort required to maintain elite fitness and form, making it impractical to continue playing all formats beyond that point.
Key Questions Answered
Ravichandran Ashwin joked that it felt like the Indian great was playing for England in England due to the exceptional flow and massive scoring on flat pitches. He praised Kohli's remarkable batting form and his constant drive to improve.
Virat Kohli has indicated that his final appearance in international cricket will be at the 2027 World Cup. Following that tournament, he does not plan to continue playing ODI cricket as it would no longer make practical sense.
Virat Kohli has already retired from Test cricket and T20 international cricket, focusing exclusively on playing ODI cricket before his anticipated retirement after 2027.
