Will Virat Kohli come out of T20 retirement to play the Los Angeles Olympics gold match?

Virat Kohli ended his T20 career with a World Cup win in the bonzai format of cricket. But something far bigger has appeared on the horizon, and it is exciting enough to pull the biggest visible name in cricket to come out of retirement – the Olympic gold.

So, will Kohli return for the LA Olympics?

Speaking to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, Kohli told Isa Guha, “If we are playing the gold medal match, I might sneak in for one game.. get a medal and come back home.”

The proposed six-team event at Los Angeles 2028, is likely to bring India one medal out of three available, and Kohli wouldn’t want to miss out on the big occasion.

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Team India captain Rohit Sharma with Virat Kohli after India won the T20 World Cup. (X | BCCI) Team India captain Rohit Sharma with Virat Kohli after India won the T20 World Cup. (X | BCCI)

“When I heard the news, I was happy. The T20 leagues that are played all over the world, including the IPL (Indian Premier League), have played a massive role. It’s a great opportunity. Getting to be Olympic champions would be a great thing. The first of its kind. I am sure we will be somewhere close to the medal,” Kohli said.

While mainstream American comprehension of the sport is not very high, the LA organisers were aware of the huge numbers that follow T20 cricket, especially in India, but also in the extended subcontinent. A large part of the pull was Virat Kohli whose social media numbers were an irresistible pitch for the game’s inclusion.

Former rifle shooter , Italian Niccolo Campriani, who is president of the LA Local Organising Committee (LALOG), had said in October 2023, “We all recognise the critical importance of a strong digital presence in order to keep the games relevant for the youth. And cricket is offering a unique platform to do so. Think [about] my friend here, Virat. He’s the third-most followed athlete in the world on social media with 314 million followers (387 million as of writing across Instagram, Facebook and X). That’s more than LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Tiger Woods combined. This is the ultimate win-win for LA 28.”

A charge into the gold medal match might well inspire Kohli to walk into the team and saunter away with an Olympic gold.

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