Should Virat Kohli retire after 2023 World Cup? AB de Villiers has his say
Sagar Paul
AB de Villiers opens up on Virat Kohli’s retirement.
At the age of 34, Virat Kohli is about to play in his fourth ODI World Cup, representing India, with previous appearances in the 2011, 2015, and 2019 editions. Recently, Kohli has been in outstanding form in white-ball cricket, already achieving five international centuries this year.
After serving Indian cricket for over a decade since 2008, Virat Kohli is approaching the later stages of his illustrious career, which has seen both remarkable highs and challenging lows in the international arena.
Prior to the 2023 World Cup in India, Kohli took a break and was rested for India’s first two ODIs against Australia, returning to the squad for the third and final match.
AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli’s last match
Former South African captain and Kohli’s teammate at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), AB de Villiers, discussed the possibility of this World Cup being Kohli’s last if India manages to win the prestigious global event.
During a discussion on his YouTube channel, de Villiers suggested that if India were to win the title, it might provide the ideal moment for Kohli to say farewell to the 50-overs format of cricket and shift his focus towards Test matches and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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“I know he loves travelling to South Africa (for the 2027 World Cup), but it’s very difficult to say. It is a long time away. Let’s focus on this one first. I think that’s what Virat Kohli would tell you. I think if they win this World Cup, it might not be a bad time to say, ‘Thank you very much. I am maybe just going to play Test cricket for the next few years and a little bit of IPL, enjoy the last bit of my career, have enough family time, and say goodbye to everyone”, De Villiers said.
“But he is in incredible shape and is mentally still there. He has been rested from time to time, which I think is a great move. So, I think the hunger and the fire will still be there,” he added.
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