Ravichandran Ashwin has extended his support to Virat Kohli after the former India captain made a strong statement about not wanting to constantly prove his worth in the Indian team. Kohli spoke on the official podcast of Royal Challengers Bangalore and talked about his current thoughts on international cricket, the team environment and the possibility of participating in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Kohli made it clear that while he still loves playing cricket and would still like to play in the 2027 World Cup, he does not want uncertainty or mixed signals about his place in the team.
“My point of view is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I’m in and the environment feels that I can add value, I will be seen. If I feel like I need to prove my worth and my worth, then I’m not in that space,” Kohli said.
“If you go into a workplace and people say they believe in your abilities, but a week later they start questioning how you operate, it’s like why?” he said.
Kohli further added that selection decisions should not fluctuate purely based on short-term results.
“Either tell me on day one that I’m not good enough or don’t need to be. But if you say I’m good enough and you don’t have other ideas, then keep quiet,” he added.
Reacting to Kohli’s remarks, Ashwin said the former India captain has achieved enough in international cricket and no longer needs to prove himself to anyone.
“If Virat Kohli says that he doesn’t need to prove his worth to anyone, then he is right. He has nothing left to prove to anyone. My thought process is the same. Who do I even need to prove to? Who else does he need to prove to after playing for India for so many years and winning so many games?” Ashwin added.
Kohli remains one of the greatest ODI batsmen in cricket history, scoring 14,797 runs in 311 games at an average of 58.71, including 54 centuries. Although he has retired from T20Is and Test cricket, the 2027 ODI World Cup has the potential to be the last major chapter of his illustrious international career.
