Virat Kohli says he still loves the game enough to keep himself ready for another World Cup, but the former India captain has drawn a firm line on the environment he wants to be part of, declaring that if he is made to "prove" his worth repeatedly, then "that place is not meant" for him.

Speaking on his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru's podcast, the 37-year-old star -- now an ODI specialist after retiring from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025 -- opened up on the chatter around the 2027 World Cup and on what will ultimately determine how long he continues in India colours.

"I am always ready because that's my daily life. You know, I work out, we eat well at home. It is because I like living that way. It is not only to play cricket. So that is where I am. I mean, this 27 (2027 World Cup) chat and all that... I've been asked so many times, 'do you want to play 27?'," Kohli said on the show.

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"I know the answer. Like, why would I leave my home, you know, get my stuff over and be like, I don't know what I want. Of course, if I am playing, I want to play cricket. I want to carry on. Playing a World Cup for India is amazing. But as I said, the value has to be two sides," he asserted.

'If I have to prove my worth, I am not in that space'

Kohli, who has scored 14,797 runs in 311 ODIs at an average of 58.71 with 54 hundreds and 77 fifties, said his continuation will depend on whether the team environment believes he still adds value -- not on him constantly auditioning for a spot.

"My perspective is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I am part of, and the environment feels that I can add value, I will be seen. If I am made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I am not in that space," he said.

"I am being honest to my preparations, I am being honest to how I approach the game. I put my head down, I work hard. When I arrive to play, I work as hard if not harder than anyone else and I play the game in the right way," he added.

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Describing his mindset on the field, Kohli said he continues to prepare for the grind like he did in his prime. "I am always prepared for the grind even as a fielder expected to run boundary to boundary for 40 overs. I will do that because I prepare accordingly. I am prepared that I will field 50 overs. After operating in this way, if I have to prove my worth and value, that place is not meant to be for me," he said.

'I went back to Vijay Hazare because I love the game'

Kohli, whose India appearances have become more sporadic with the shrinking ODI calendar and whose future has been the subject of guarded comments from head coach Gautam Gambhir and selectors, said his recent return to domestic one-day cricket was driven purely by love for the sport rather than any desire to send a message.

He turned out for Delhi in the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, his first appearance in the tournament in nearly two decades, scoring a century and becoming the fastest to 16,000 List A runs. "I was very clear in my head that I am not going out there to prove anything to anyone. I am going there to play because I love playing the game. That's how I played Vijay Hazare as well. It was amazing," he said.

"I thought I have played for so long, do I have the motivation? But the moment my intention switched to 'I want to play because I love the game', I just loved batting. I felt like a child again. I was like this is not about anyone, this is about me and the game," he explained.

‘Either tell me on day one I am not good enough...'

Kohli also took aim at what he called “complicating” environments where faith and doubt swing wildly with results. He said selection and communication should be straightforward.

"The moment I feel like people are trying to complicate it for me and be like ‘oh this and that’. Either be clear and honest and upfront or be quiet and let me play," he said. "If you go to a workplace and people say we believe in your abilities and a week later they start questioning the way you operate, it’s like why?" he elaborated.

"Either tell me on day one that I am not good enough or I am not needed but if you have said that I am good enough and that we are not thinking otherwise, then be quiet. If you start operating up and down because of results, you can never have a consistent stance," he said.

For now, Kohli is expected to be available for India’s three-match ODI series in England from July 14–19, but Gambhir has so far stopped short of guaranteeing him and Rohit Sharma spots in the 2027 World Cup plans, insisting that selections will depend on fitness and form series by series.