Kohli excited by cricket's return at LA28

It's a great opportunity for some of our athletes to be able to taste it, says the star batter

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BENGALURU:

Virat Kohli welcomed the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and, although the Indian great will not be coaxed out of retirement for the showpiece, he said he believed a new generation of Indian athletes would be ready to strike gold.

Cricket, which enjoys a huge following in India and has a rapidly growing global audience, is returning to the Games after more than a century with a proposed six-team Twenty20 format for men and women in Los Angeles.

Kohli, 36, who retired from the sport's shortest format last June after India's World Cup triumph, said international leagues around the world had played a big role in elevating the profile of the sport and ensuring it was showcased at the Games.

"It's great, I mean, when I heard the news I was really happy about it," Kohli, who continues to play 50-overs and test cricket for India, said during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Saturday.

"It's happened and the amount of T20 cricket that has been played all over the world, the leagues that are played all over the world and the Indian Premier League (IPL) have definitely played a massive role in that as well.

"It has got cricket to the stage where it's part of the Olympics. It's a great opportunity for some of our athletes to be able to taste it."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in October 2023 that cricket's inclusion for the first time since the 1900 Games had the potential to activate and engage new audiences, with the sport's worldwide fan base estimated at 2.5 billion people.

With millions of his own followers around the world and on social media, Kohli's presence at the Games would have played a huge role in boosting the sport.

But the batsman, who continues to play T20 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, said there was little chance of him coming back to the national team in the format.

"I don't know, maybe if we're playing for the gold medal I might sneak in for one game, get the medal and come back home," Kohli said with a smile.

"No, but I think it's a great thing. To be Olympic champions would be an absolutely magnificent feeling. A first of its kind and I'm sure we'll be somewhere close to that."

Not retiring

Kohli said he may not have another tour of Australia left in him after his team's humbling 3-1 Test series defeat Down Under but the 36-year-old has ruled out retiring anytime soon as he still enjoys playing the game too much.

Kohli arrested a long run of poor form with an unbeaten ton in the series opening Test in Perth in November, but frequently chased balls moving away from his stumps and managed a total of 190 runs at an average of 23.75.

Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Saturday, Kohli said the slump was reminiscent of his dismal run in England in 2014 where he made 134 runs.

"If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I've been, the recent Australia tour would be the one that's most fresh. So it might feel the most intense," Kohli said.

"For a long time, the tour of England in 2014 bothered me the most. But I can't look at it that way. I might not have an Australia tour again in four years. I don't know. You have to make peace with whatever's happened in your life."

Kohli quit Twenty20 internationals after India's World Cup win last year but continues to play in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

He remains a key member of India's Test team, and played a big role in their 50-overs Champions Trophy triumph last week.

"Me playing the game is not for achievements," Kohli added.

"It pretty much comes down to the pure joy and enjoyment and love for the game. As long as that love is intact, I'll continue to play the game. I have to be honest about that with myself.

"Don't get nervous, I'm not making any announcements, as of now everything's fine."