The 2027 World Cup will be Virat Kohli’s final go at the cherry on the cake on a finish to his career: AB de Villiers

Former South African middle-order batter AB de Villiers has stated that Indian talismanic batter Virat Kohli would love to finish the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 with a win in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Speaking exclusively on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers also asserted that Kohli would continue to play in the Indian Premier League for three to five years. He also emphasized how important a World Cup win would be for a player of Kohli’s stature. 

"In my opinion, the 2027 World Cup will be his final go at the cherry on the cake on a finish to his career. The IPL is a different story. We might see him go for three or four or maybe even five years. It does not take a lot out of you, even if it is a very intense tournament. You can prepare for those two to three months, but a World Cup is a four-year cycle. Really big build up and takes a lot out of the body and the system and the space that you try to find yourself in, family time. We have heard Virat speak often about how important that is for him," he said on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, the former South African cricketer has also requested the Indian cricketing fraternity to celebrate the Indian veteran batter during the fag end of his international career without criticizing him.

"I want to remind you guys, that's the kind of player you want to celebrate. Allow him to find his balance in life towards the backend of his career. Just celebrate him. He has changed the game forever. He deserves a bit of a 'thank', and hopefully you play for another five years, if you don't, we are right behind you,” he added.

Additionally, AB also reckoned that this would be the perfect time for the youngsters in the dressing room to take a lot of lessons from the veteran batter, adding that it would have a huge impact on the young and promising cricketers.

"He (Virat) plays a huge role in that time from a mental aspect. The kind of confidence the youngsters take from his presence, you can't put a number to that. It is irreplaceable. The kind of impact they have on the players around them and the confidence the other players take from them is absolutely huge. Never forget that even if they do not perform sometimes. They have a huge impact," he stated.

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