Kohli remains active only in the ODI format now. His shocking retirement from Tests in May earlier this year, just 10 months after his T20I exit, sparked fresh speculation about his international future. It was widely believed that the tour of Australia in October would mark his final appearance in India colours. Why? Media reports suggested that with the BCCI likely to enforce its domestic cricket rule to keep the India legend match-ready for ODIs, he might choose to hang up his boots instead. The rumours triggered a major storm across the cricketing world between June and mid-October, further fuelled by his absence from the India A series preceding the tour, before chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that the BCCI was not yet ready to commit to including Kohli in its plans for the World Cup.

Kohli stayed away from the spotlight after IPL 2025, spending quiet time in London with his family. Apart from a few fan-clicked pictures and a brief appearance at a charity event, there was little to no update on him, not even a hint of whether he was preparing for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.

But he was. On his return to international cricket for the first time since the Champions Trophy haul in March, Kohli did look rusty in his first two outings, going out for consecutive ducks, but the knock in Sydney showed he was never away from the game. Packed with cover drives, lofted shots and gritty running between the wickets, Kohli laced an unbeaten 74, while forging a record century stand with Rohit Sharma as India secured a consolation win in the third and final ODI game in the series.

Kohli’s knock in Sydney was a timely reminder that his World Cup dream is far from over. The hunger and precision in his batting showed that the fire still burns brightly.

Did that seal his World Cup fate?

Probably not yet, at least from the selectors’ point of view. The committee knows that it would be a blunder to drop Kohli from the scheme of things just yet, but they also want to be cautious in dealing with the 37-year-old. Their main concern is not his fitness, but whether he can sustain his form until 2027, given that he now only plays the ODI format. Hence, for Kohli to prove his commitment, he would have to make himself available for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, which is scheduled to commence in December.

In many ways, the selectors have put the ball in Kohli’s court to decide his own World Cup fate. And if the Sydney knock was any indication, the legend isn’t ready to give up just yet — giving fans every reason to hope that he bows out of international cricket in the finest form, perhaps with a second World Cup title to his name.

When will Kohli next play for India?

His next appearance will be in the three-match ODI series at home against South Africa, which is scheduled to begin in another fortnight. That will be followed by three ODIs against New Zealand in January.

What about Kohli’s IPL future?

Just days after his Sydney knock, shocking speculation surfaced claiming that Kohli’s IPL career with Royal Challengers Bengaluru might be nearing an end following his decision not to sign a new commercial agreement. However, the star batter is unlikely to cut ties with the franchise or draw the curtains on his IPL journey anytime soon.

For Kohli, RCB has always been more than just a team, it’s been home since the league’s inaugural season in 2008. In several interviews, he has admitted to receiving lucrative offers from other IPL franchises during RCB’s long trophy-less run, yet his loyalty never wavered. That faith finally paid off when Bengaluru lifted their maiden title earlier this summer.