Cricket is all set to return to the Summer Games after 128 years, having last played in 1900.
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20I cricket last June, following India’s T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados. However, on Saturday, he hinted at a U-turn for one final appearance in the format if India make the final at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket is all set to return to the Summer Games after 128 years, having last played in 1900.
Virat Kohli retired from T20I cricket in June 2024(REUTERS)
Kohli’s popularity on social media led to cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics. Niccolo Campriani, president of the LA Local Organising Committee (LALOG), in fact, had said, “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.”
The Los Angeles Olympics is expected to be a T20 tournament, so Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be part of the Indian team. Both had drawn curtains on their careers in the shortest format last year. But the 36-year-old jokingly said that he is ready to play one last game for India in T20Is if the team makes the final in the Olympics.
“If we are playing the gold medal match, I might sneak in for one game.. get a medal and come back home,” he told Isa Guha during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.
‘When I heard the news, I was happy’
Kohli expressed elation at cricket’s return to the Olympics, which was announced in October 2023. It would comprise both men’s and women’s T20 tournaments.
“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 added.
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