Kohli at 39: Can he be the anchor for India's 2027 World Cup dream?

The India-Pakistan Champions Trophy clash in Dubai on Sunday night raised hopes that Virat Kohli – backed by his impeccable fitness – needs to be cajoled, even persuaded, to play in the cricket World Cup scheduled in South Africa in October-November 2027.

Kohli, who was born in November 1988, would be 39 years of age by the time the World Cup is played in 2027.

So would he be too old for the game? Not really.

Kohli – who was part of the Indian World Cup winning side in 2011 – is still hungry for success.

The team needs him in 2027, and not the other way around. The Delhi batter thrives on his fitness. Yesterday in Dubai, he ran an amazing 23 meters to take a diving catch to dismiss Naseem Shah. Kohli’s sprint to take that catch could be the envy of players ten years younger than him.

While batting, Kohli was shown by TV broadcasters to be running the first run faster than his mates, and at one point he was running at a speed of 28 km per hour for the run. Also, the one-day international (ODI) cricket format has not changed its pattern of play, and Kohli can adjust to the demands of the game.

Kohli, who averages 89 while chasing in ODI cricket, would be an ideal sheet anchor in the 50-over game. This is not to discredit the ability of young batters like Shubman Gill or Yashasvi Jaiswal. Both are very good, but having Kohli – who has a monk-like composure when batting – would aid the two.

In the past, greats Sachin Tendulkar and Imran Khan have played in World Cups at the age Kohli would be in 2027. In the case of Tendulkar and Khan – both greats of their own eras – there was a common factor: they had never been part of a World Cup-winning side, and that probably egged on the two.

Tendulkar was 38 years of age when he played the World Cup in 2011 for India, and the side won the final beating Sri Lanka at Mumbai. Pakistani all-rounder Imran Khan was six months short of his 40th birthday when he led his side to a famous win over England at Melbourne in March 1992 to lift the World Cup. Tendulkar was the second highest overall run-getter of the tournament in 2011.

He scored 485 runs in nine innings of that campaign at an average of 53.55. Khan batted at number 3 and scored 72 runs in the final, the highest for his team. Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Saleem Malik – all top-class batters – had batted after Khan. The present Indian team coach, Gautam Gambhir, in July 2024 gave a hint about the future of Kohli and Rohit Sharma, saying "both of those guys have a lot of cricket left in them. And more importantly, the Champions Trophy is coming up, and a big tour of Australia, they will be motivated enough. And then hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 World Cup is there”.

Rohit would be 40 years old by the time the World Cup is played. Will he be fit? With Kohli, fitness cannot be questioned.