NEW DELHI: Star India batter Virat Kohli once again found himself at the center of fans' concerns over his ODI future. However, teammate Navdeep Saini has poured cold water on the rumours, assuring that the former India captain is far from done and will definitely feature in the 2027 World Cup.
After winning the ICC T20 World Cup title last year, Kohli announced his retirement from the format. He had also announced his retirement from Test cricket before the England tour. Later, in an interview, Kohli mentioned that when the beard starts turning white, it's a sign that the time has come.
Following his retirement and this statement, a recent picture of him with a white beard went viral on social media. This sparked concerns among fans that Kohli might announce his retirement from ODIs as well. However, Saini, who has played with Kohli, shared his views on the former India captain's retirement in an exclusive conversation with Sports Yaari.
When Sports Yaari reporter Nitin Bhardwaj asked about Kohli's recent picture and retirement, Saini confidently responded. He said that the whitening of a beard is a natural process and has nothing to do with sports.
In the interview, Saini stated, "I don't think Virat Kohli will retire. It's a natural thing. So what if the beard has turned white? The player remains the same. Bhaiya (Virat Kohli) will definitely play in the ICC World Cup 2027."
In the Asia Cup 2025, a high-voltage match between India and Pakistan is scheduled for September 14 in Dubai. Saini made a significant statement regarding this match. He believes that the Indian team can easily win this match.
He said that every player's goal is always to give their best performance. He mentioned, "Just like always, India will dominate Pakistan. At that time, the mindset is to give our best, and we will play this match just like we have always performed in the past."
