Virat Kohli playfully hints at T20 comeback for LA Olympics 2028

Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli, who retired from T20 internationals after leading India to T20 World Cup glory in 2024, has sparked excitement with a playful remark about a possible return to the format for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab talk show the other day,  Kohli was asked by former England cricketer Isa Guha whether he would consider playing in the Olympics. His response left fans intrigued.

"For the Olympics, I don't know. Maybe if we are playing for the gold medal, I just might sneak in for one game, get a medal, and come back home," Kohli quipped with a smile.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved cricket in its T20 format for LA 2028, marking the sport's return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900.

Kohli also acknowledged the Indian Premier League (IPL) for its role in cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics, stating that the tournament had helped elevate the sport to a global level.

"I think IPL has definitely played a massive role in that as well. It has brought cricket to a stage where it is part of the Olympics. It's a great opportunity for some of our guys," he said.

He further expressed how winning an Olympic gold medal would be a unique achievement.

"To be an Olympic champion would be a magnificent feeling, the first of its kind," Kohli added.

By 2028, Kohli will be 40 years old and is unlikely to feature regularly as a player, having already retired from T20Is in 2024 after guiding India to their first T20 World Cup title in 17 years.

His match-winning 76 off 59 balls in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados earned him the Player of the Match honor, cementing his legacy in T20 cricket.

Kohli finished his T20I career as the second-highest run-scorer in history, amassing 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He remains the leading run-scorer in T20 World Cup history, with 1,292 runs in 35 matches, and is the only player to have topped the scoring charts in two different editions of the tournament.

Kohli is not the only cricketing legend who has hinted at an Olympic appearance.

Australian batting maestro Steve Smith, who will be 39 in 2028, has already expressed his desire to continue playing and represent Australia in the Olympics.

With cricket's return to the Olympic stage after over a century, the possibility of seeing legends like Kohli and Smith in LA 2028—even for one last hurrah—adds an exciting subplot to the tournament’s build-up.

Virat Kohli had a chat at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab, where he also discussed his plans after retirement. Talking about Team India’s impressive wins in the past few matches, Virat shared:

"Well, it has been amazing. We wanted to bounce back after a tough Australian tour. Lovely feeling to play with such a talented group. We are here to help. There is so much talent in the change room. We just try to make an impact whenever we get a chance. After such a long career. You look forward to situations where you are put under pressure.

To win titles, something that was missing in the past, the whole team has to step up. If you see through the course of the last 5 matches, everyone has stepped up at different situations."

When asked about his future plans, Virat revealed that he might not get the chance to play in another Australia tour, stating that he made peace with his past achievements on the field. Further into the chat, the 36-year-old cricketer shared how he did not have an idea yet about what he would be doing after retiring from cricket, but he could travel a lot. He was quoted as saying:

“I might not have another Australia tour in me, so I am at peace with whatever happened in the past… I actually don't know what I will be doing post retirement, recently I asked a teammate the same question and got the same reply. Yeah, but maybe a lot of travelling.”