PC: dnaindia
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes that if Team India wins the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, then Virat Kohli may consider retiring from white-ball cricket.
De Villiers expressed his opinion that it would be the right time for Kohli to bid farewell to T20Is and ODIs, leaving him to focus on playing Test cricket for a few more years. Yet, he also admitted that it would not be surprising if the experienced campaigner chose to continue playing given his exceptional fitness levels.
De Villiers said- "I know he would love to travel to South Africa, but it is very difficult to say. There is still a lot of time left. So focus on this first, I think Virat Kohli himself will tell you. Guess if they win this World Cup, it wouldn't be a bad time to say, 'Thank you very much. I'll probably play Test cricket for the next few years and a bit of IPL, enjoy the last bit of my career, family.' "I'll spend enough time with you, and say goodbye to everyone."
He added, "But he is in incredible shape and mentally he is still the same. He has been rested from time to time, which I think is a good step. So, I think the hunger and fire is there right now."
A fan asked if Virat Kohli would surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record of scoring a hundred centuries in international cricket. In response, de Villiers said that the 34-year-old's primary aim is not to break records but to lead his team to important wins.
"I don't think he's focused on that. That's not his main motivation. He never thinks about that at all. He wants to win the World Cup for his team and be part of a successful unit across all formats." "
It is noteworthy that Virat Kohli is just two centuries away from breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI centuries. Currently, Kohli's number of centuries stands at an impressive 77, making him the second-highest century scorer in world cricket.
In the ongoing three-match home series against Australia, Kohli was rested for the first two ODIs. However, fans can eagerly wait for their return for the third and final match at the iconic Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday, September 27.
