Kohli Motivates India, Mentors Gill for 2027 WC

India just wrapped up a pretty dominant 4-1 ODI series win against Australia. And apparently, a big reason for that success was the presence of star batter Virat Kohli. His long-time coach, Rajkumar Sharma, recently shared how Kohli really inspired the entire team. This comes as Indian CRICKET looks ahead to the 2027 World Cup.

Kohli’s Presence: A Major Motivation

The buzz was all about Kohli after India’s big series win. Rajkumar Sharma, who coached Kohli since he was a kid, spoke on December 29, 2025. He was actually at the team’s training session in New Delhi. This was right before the fifth ODI, but India had already secured the series. Sharma told reporters that Kohli’s impact was huge.

“Virat Kohli’s presence itself is a motivation for everyone. I met him after the training session. He is in great touch. He is batting really well. Hopefully, he will score big in the T20s as well.”

Sharma couldn’t stress it enough. He really believes Kohli’s mere presence lifted everyone. “His presence added motivation for all players,” he said. The whole team played outstandingly, according to Sharma. They just completely dominated Australia. He praised their bowling and fielding, saying it was superb. This sentiment was echoed by other outlets too, like Times of India and Indian Express, which both reported on Sharma’s remarks.

Mentorship Role for Shubman Gill

But it’s not just about motivation right now. Sharma also talked about the future. Specifically, he sees Kohli, along with Rohit Sharma, taking on a mentor role. This is for the new all-format skipper, Shubman Gill. Gill’s been named India’s captain for the ODI tour to Australia. It seems like a smart move by the Indian management. They want Gill to have guidance from these senior pros.

And you can see it happening. Shubman often chats intensely with both Virat and Rohit. It happens during matches and in the dugout. Sharma believes this kind of mentorship is super important. He even drew a comparison to when MS Dhoni guided Virat when he first took over the captaincy.

“If you remember when Virat took over the captaincy, Mahi (MS Dhoni) was there; he used to guide him and help him a lot. If you remember, in the last over, when Kohli went back to the field at long-on, Mahi would take over the captaincy from behind the wickets.”

It’s like having an elder brother on the team. That’s the role Kohli and Rohit need to play for Gill. They’re just so experienced. They’ve done so much for the country. Sharma calls them “legends.” So, having them around is really good for the team and for Shubman, he said.

Veterans Aim for 2027 World Cup

This mentorship, and the overall presence of these senior players, is key for India moving forward. Especially with the 2027 World Cup on the horizon. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, they really have to keep performing. They want to secure their spots on the Indian side for that big tournament.

The series against Australia had its ups and downs for the veterans. Rohit Sharma definitely made an impact in Adelaide. He broke through and scored a pretty fancy half-century. He was India’s highest scorer in that game. For Kohli, it was a bit rough at first. He got dismissed for two consecutive ducks in earlier games. But he seemed to turn it around in Sydney.

In Sydney, Virat was much more involved. He looked super active on the field. The ball just seemed to follow him. He stopped a bullet shot from Mitchell Marsh. Then he took a really sharp catch near the leg umpire. Matt Short was in disbelief, apparently. Kohli was also seen talking to bowlers, giving advice. He was taking on leadership roles pretty often in Sydney. That match was also apparently one of the last times Kohli will play on Australian soil. So he really wanted to make it count.

Overall, India’s future seems bright. They’ve got young talent like Gill leading the way. But they also have the invaluable experience and motivation from legends like Kohli and Rohit. You can read more about Sharma’s initial comments on Hindustan Times. This mix of old and new talent could be pretty powerful for them in upcoming T20s and beyond.