The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinched the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title by defeating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs. Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, RCB became champions for the first time, while Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, still await their maiden title. Former captain Virat Kohli played a crucial role in RCB's victory, accumulating 657 runs in 15 matches with an average of 54.75.
When Will Kohli Return to the Field?
Following the conclusion of IPL 2025, Indian fans are eagerly looking forward to Team India's England tour. India will face England in a five-match Test series starting on June 20. Virat Kohli will not be part of this series as he announced his retirement from Test cricket last month, on May 12. Having retired from T20 Internationals earlier, Kohli will now exclusively represent India in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Virat Kohli is expected to be back on the field in August. India's England tour concludes on August 4, after which the team will tour Bangladesh for a series including three ODIs and three T20 matches. It's likely that Kohli will participate in this ODI series. Besides Kohli, Rohit Sharma will also be part of the series and will lead the team as captain.
The ODI series between India and Bangladesh will kick off on August 17, marking Kohli's return to action. The remaining two ODIs will be played on August 20 and 23, followed by T20 Internationals on August 26, 29, and 31. The bilateral series between India and Bangladesh will further intensify the growing cricket rivalry between these South Asian neighbors.
Source: aajtak
India vs Bangladesh Schedule
First ODI: August 17 (Sunday), Mirpur Second ODI: August 20 (Wednesday), Mirpur Third ODI: August 23 (Saturday), Chittagong First T20: August 26 (Tuesday), Chittagong Second T20: August 29 (Friday), Mirpur Third T20: August 31 (Sunday), Mirpur
Kohli Focuses on ODIs
After retiring from T20Is and Test cricket, Virat Kohli is dedicating his focus entirely to One Day Internationals. It is said that Kohli's ultimate goal is the 2027 ODI World Cup, where he hopes to bid farewell to international cricket with a title win. The 2027 ODI World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October-November, offering Kohli ample time to prepare.
The Indian team will play at least 27 ODIs in preparation for the World Cup 2027, providing Kohli a significant platform to hone his skills. According to the current schedule, Team India will face eight different countries in ODI series before the World Cup 2027. Notably, New Zealand will be the only team India will play twice in ODI series during this period.
Virat Kohli's ODI Career Highlights
*302 ODIs, 290 Innings, 14,181 Runs, 57.88 Average *51 Centuries, 74 Half-centuries, 5 Wickets, 93.34 Strike Rate *1,325 Fours, 152 Sixes
