There’s something refreshingly direct about Virat Kohli’s public voice this year. For a while, the cricket world had grown accustomed to him choosing his words carefully—or keeping them to himself—but lately he has sounded far more willing to speak openly. He has challenged the management setup on a podcast, discussed topics he would seldom touch earlier in his career, including the reasoning behind stepping away from India’s Test captaincy. Kohli has also taken part in smaller off-field moments: visiting a school as its guest of honour, sharing insights into vulnerability, and posting a video of himself meeting his childhood coach, which then circulated on social media. The result is a version of Kohli that doesn’t quite match the one fans grew used to seeing.
On the field, though, the script remains familiar. Kohli continues to deliver the kind of batting that has defined him for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL)—hitting through the gears and piling up runs with relentless authority. Off it, he has been equally active, including shutting down talk about whether he would be available for next year’s World Cup, a tournament that still appears to be a major driving force for him.
That combination naturally leads to questions. Is Kohli gearing up for something the wider cricketing world hasn’t anticipated? Could there be bigger movement behind the scenes? Fans are still absorbing the decision he took a year ago to retire from Test cricket, and the obvious follow-up is whether they’re about to witness another major shift—potentially one that’s even more significant.
For now, though, a return to Test cricket does not seem likely. A teaser from a recent interview with Rajkumar Sharma created a brief wave of excitement when it included the phrase “talks are on,” but the details that follow suggest the comment may have been tied to a different subject entirely. Anyone hoping for a reversal of his Test retirement should brace for disappointment: the chapter appears closed.
There are also reasons that go beyond guesswork. Kohli’s sense of self-respect sits at the centre of his thinking, and he has consistently treated it as non-negotiable. He has said he was mentally drained and, by his own assessment, didn’t feel he was meeting the exact demands of the longest format—evidenced by an average of around 32 over the last five years. When he stepped away, it was because it felt like the right moment, giving him room to strike a healthier balance between family life and cricket. And if he had been forced aside and told to prove himself again, reversing the decision would hardly make sense. The stance is firm: he is not coming back.
What could come next for Kohli
Thinking like Kohli, the next move is unlikely to be about waiting patiently if he senses he is not wanted. With his recent comments indirectly placing the spotlight on head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, he understands the attention he’s drawing. As long as he continues scoring, his position stays protected. The moment results start going against him, Kohli—however harsh that may sound—could decide to step away rather than sit through a period of pressure. Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir’s reluctance to commit clearly about his World Cup prospects also hints that planning is already stretching beyond him.
Indian cricket, in the format-by-format sense, has moved past him in Tests and T20Is. However, a final end to his ODI career would bring the curtain down officially on the last major chapter. His bond with supporters has remained strongest in ODIs—much like it once did in Tests. At his peak, Kohli’s numbers across formats were exceptional, with averages above 50 through the late 2010s. While the dip hurt his Test impact most noticeably, it did not truly damage his ODI output. Even now, he stands among the most accomplished ODI batters, with a history of record-setting chases, centuries, and a level of steadiness that has rarely wavered.
In fact, Kohli’s recent ODI form has been striking. He has made three centuries and three fifties in his last nine ODIs. That run began with two ducks against Australia in October, but the recovery since then has been emphatic. With more matches on the horizon, his attention remains firmly fixed on the World Cup in South Africa. Still, he will also know how quickly momentum can disappear when a few tough outings stack up. The good news for him is that the current year carries a heavier ODI workload: the FTP runs until March 14, and additional fixtures are expected after the IPL. With close to 15 ODIs—or even more—still available, Kohli currently appears to be in a strong place to build his case.
There’s also a wider incentive. Sachin Tendulkar’s landmark of 100 international centuries feels like it could be within reach, and the route to the World Cup seems comparatively straightforward. Even so, Kohli’s approach has never been one to tolerate what he perceives as disrespect. If he was willing to step away from the format he valued most when pushed, he would not hesitate to walk away from ODIs either. That possibility could explain why he has sounded more vocal in public recently—quiet preparation sometimes looks like a louder presence.
It’s worth remembering how Kohli historically operated with the BCCI. When Ravi Shastri backed him strongly, he helped steer Indian cricket to new heights, even if it sometimes came with friction in relationships. The removal of Anil Kumble as coach and the sidelining of certain players were moments that reflected how much Kohli could influence outcomes when he believed in his position. Even after being taken away from ODI captaincy, he accepted the change without turning it into a public fight. Yet his defiance and conviction remained unmistakable.
Nothing suggests that mindset has softened. If anything, the current phase—more candid conversations, sharper clarity about his intentions, and continuing to lead by example with the bat—points to a Kohli who is still very much in control of his decisions, even when the world keeps trying to read patterns into each statement.
