When Will Virat Kohli Play Next? Exploring His Schedule for 2025

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, fresh off his maiden IPL title with RCB, is set for his anticipated return to the nation's ODI team soon.

When Will Virat Kohli Play Next? Exploring His Schedule for 2025

Virat Kohli is expected to play his next ODI, later this year against Bangladesh. (via India Today)

After having secured his maiden IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru this week, the focus now shifts on Virat Kohli’s much-awaited return to Team India colors. The 36-year-old batter will be in action for the Indian ODI side, in the coming months. 

The previous month was an eventful one for Indian cricket fans, as two of the team’s biggest stars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from Test cricket. The duo had already quit playing T20Is last year, following India’s 2024 ICC T20 World Cup triumph in West Indies and USA, which ultimately means that Kohli and Sharma will now represent the nation only in the 50-over format. 

Kohli’s retirement from red-ball cricket just days ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England, did come as a surprise to many, as he bowled out with a career tally of 9,230 runs in 123 Tests. He comes off a historic IPL season with RCB, having lifted the IPL trophy for the first time to end an 18-year wait. The 36-year-old led the team from the front, scoring an impressive 657 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, hitting eight half-centuries. 

Following his maiden IPL triumph, fans have now been left wondering when the Indian batting stalwart would next play for India. His last ODI appearance was at the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India won by beating New Zealand in the final, to claim its second CT title. Kohli ended as India’s second-highest run-getter in the tournament with 218 runs, including a memorable 111-ball century against Pakistan.

Kohli has clearly stated his desire to continue playing the 50-over format until the 2027 World Cup, where is best at, having scored 14,181 runs in 302 ODIs at an average of 57.88, hitting 51 centuries. Prior to the marquee event, the Men in Blue are set to play 27 ODIs, across the next two years. These matches will be played across nine bilateral series, each of which will consist of a total of three ODI matches. 

The Men in Blue will return to the 50-over format only in August this year, when they travel to Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series, starting August 17. However, rumors are rife that the BCCI might cancel the tour to Bangladesh due to the ongoing geo-political tensions in the sub-continent, pushing Kohli’s return to India colours until October, when the team travels to Australia for a three-match ODI series.

S. No.Home TeamAway TeamDateVenue
1.BangladeshIndia17 August, 2025Mirpur
2.BangladeshIndia20 August, 2025Mirpur
3.BangladeshIndia23 August, 2025Chittagong
4.AustraliaIndia19 October, 2025Perth
5.AustraliaIndia23 October, 2025Adelaide
6.AustraliaIndia25 October, 2025Sydney
7.IndiaSouth Africa30 November, 2025Ranchi
8.IndiaSouth Africa3 December, 2025Raipur
9.IndiaSouth Africa6 December, 2025Vizag

It will be followed by a home series against South Africa in the months of November-December, this year. Interestingly, there’s also talk Virat Kohli could join Middlesex for a stint in English county cricket during their current season.

Big Bash League officials keen on Virat Kohli and other Indian cricketers’ participation next season

Cricket Australia and Big Bash League officials expressed hope that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would revise its rules to allow Indian players to participate in overseas tournaments. BBL officials highlighted their desire to see veteran Indian star Virat Kohli, in the league next season.

Virat Kohli in the Big Bash League
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg hopes to see Virat Kohli in the BBL, next season. (via Fox Sports)

Kohli’s will only be playing ODIs for India, leaving ample time for him to compete in leagues around the world. However, the BCCI’s existing guidelines restrict Indian players from doing so, a rule that Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg suggested needs to be changed.

He urged the BCCI to allow only the non-retired Indian players, like Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and others to feature in the Big Bash League. CEO Todd Greenberg on Indian players in the BBL (H/T Crictracker):

We would love to welcome some Indian players to the BBL. That’s certainly some conversations that we will continue to have with the BCCI. I mean, I would love to see, Virat Kohli playing in the BBL this year.

While it remains highly unlikely that the BCCI would change its stance, Greenberg added that the inclusion of Indian stars in the BBL would help them draw crowds and global viewership as well as bring in opportunities for private investments.