Royal Challengers Bengaluru's enduring talisman Virat Kohli has been in exceptional touch in IPL 2026. Despite suffering a rare dip with back-to-back ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians, Kohli roared back in emphatic fashion with a magnificent unbeaten 105* off 60 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in the last game, a knock that made light work of RCB's chase of 193 and put them back at the top of the points table.
With the 37-year-old continuing to perform at an elite level, questions have followed over whether he sees himself playing at the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Speaking candidly on the RCB podcast, Kohli admitted he finds the constant speculation unnecessary.
“I've been asked so many times, ‘Do you want to play '27?' Why would I leave my home, come here, practice and score hundreds for nothing? Obviously, I'm doing all this to play the 2027 WC. This is such a nonsense topic,” Kohli said, firmly dismissing any speculation surrounding his international future.
However, Kohli also stressed that his continuation in the Indian setup depends on mutual trust and clarity within the environment around him.
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“Playing a World Cup for India is amazing. But as I said, the value has to be two sides,” Kohli said.
Having already retired from Tests and T20Is, Kohli explained that he no longer wants to operate in an atmosphere where he constantly has to justify his place or value.
“Today, my perspective is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I am part of, and the environment feels that I can add value, I will be seen,” Kohli said.
“If I am made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I am not in that space.”
Kohli also made it clear that he expects transparency, rather than fluctuating opinions based solely on short-term results.
“Either be clear and honest and upfront or be quiet and let me play,” Kohli said.
“If you said I'm good enough and that we are not thinking otherwise, then be quiet. If you start operating up and down because of results, you can never have a consistent stance.”
The former India captain also reflected on rediscovering the joy of the game, saying his motivation now comes from a genuine love for cricket rather than external pressure or validation.
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“I want to play because I love the game,” Kohli said, recalling his stint with Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. “I fielded the whole game, I was diving around and I felt like a child again. I was like, ‘This is not about anyone, this is about me and the game.'”
He added that his discipline and preparation standards remain unchanged despite being in the latter stages of his career.
“In terms of effort and commitment, I know what I can deliver because I literally live my life like that,” he said.
“If there's a series coming up, I'm ready. I'm always ready.”
Kohli's performances this season continue to reinforce that point. In 12 IPL 2026 matches, he has scored 484 runs at an average of 53.77 and a strike rate of 165.75, including one century and three fifties, spearheading RCB's title defence.
The season has also seen the former India captain continue rewriting IPL history. During his unbeaten century against Kolkata Knight Riders, Kohli surpassed MS Dhoni to become the league's most-capped player while also extending his own record for the most IPL hundreds with a ninth century.
The knock also saw him become the fastest batter to 14,000 T20 runs, reaching the milestone in just 409 innings and eclipsing Chris Gayle's previous record of 423 innings.
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