Virat Kohli is the only player to have spent 19 seasons in one franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has become synonymous with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and his loyalty and commitment to the franchise almost seem like an anomaly in the modern era of professionalism.

Kohli had to wait 18 years before he could add the coveted IPL title to his decorated trophy cabinet. However, he won the Player of the Match award in this year’s IPL final and helped RCB become only the third team after the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to defend the title.

The legendary batter and former India captain is 37 years old now. He has already retired from Tests and T20Is and only plays ODI cricket for India. His target is the 2027 ODI World Cup, but how long will he continue as a player in the IPL? This is one question that keeps coming up every year. However, according to RCB CEO Rajesh Menon, fans could be able to witness Kohli’s greatness in the cash-rich league for at least four years.

“RCB and Virat are different sides of the same coin. He’s been the constant factor for RCB throughout. We’ve not seem him not being part of RCB even if he moves out of his cricketing career. We’ve to figure out that. That said, next three-to-four years, I’m sure he’ll be playing for at least four years,” Menon told CNBC TV18.

Kohli hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. His fitness is right up there with some of the greatest athletes in the world. He has reinvented himself as a T20 batter in the last couple of seasons. The right-handed batter has played the aggressive role inside the power play, even when he has batted with the destructive Phil Salt. In IPL 2026, he amassed 675 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.85, his best in a particular season of the league.

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has thrown his support behind Ishan Kishan as a strong contender for India’s squad at the 2027 ODI World Cup, describing him as a complete player who has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

Gavaskar’s praise comes after Kishan produced a stunning innings of 125 runs from just 79 balls, registering his second ODI century. The knock marked a significant milestone in his comeback, arriving nearly four years after his memorable maiden ODI double century.

The left-handed batter’s return to form has strengthened his standing among the selectors, earning him a place in India’s upcoming ODI squad for the Afghanistan series ahead of rivals Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant.

Speaking after Kishan’s match-winning performance, Gavaskar suggested that the 27-year-old has already made a compelling case for inclusion in India’s plans for the next World Cup cycle, stating that his all-round abilities make him one of the most valuable options in the limited-overs setup.

“I think he’s got his visa already. Somebody else has to really play out of their skin to keep Ishan Kishan out of the team. He’s such a big contributor in the T20 format and he’s batting so well,” said Gavaskar as quoted by India Today.

Gavaskar highlighted the significant improvement in Kishan’s technique over the last 18 months, noting that the flaws that once affected his batting have largely been eliminated. According to the former India captain, Kishan has worked hard on his game, becoming a more complete and reliable batter while retaining the aggressive stroke play that makes him such a dangerous limited-overs player.

“Look at that shot Graham [Swann] was talking about, the lofted extra-cover drive. He’s got a very good defence as well. Anything short, he’s quick to go on to the back foot and pull it away for sixes. He’s just a complete player now, and he’s become a complete player over the last year and a half. Earlier, you thought maybe around the off stump he was a little vulnerable. He didn’t quite have that lofted extra-cover drive. That’s what he’s got now, and it’s so hard to keep him quiet,” said Gavaskar.

Ireland head coach Lloyd Tennant has remained positive despite his side’s four-wicket defeat to England at the Hampshire Bowl, insisting that the performance against one of the tournament favourites provided plenty of encouragement for the team moving forward.

Ireland are making their fifth appearance at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and are competing in Group 2 alongside hosts England, Sri Lanka, Scotland, West Indies, and defending champions New Zealand. However, the campaign has begun on a challenging note, with consecutive defeats to Scotland and England extending Ireland’s winless streak at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to 19 matches.

“You would say that Scotland was a game that it’s a 50-50 chance for us, you know, they’d expect to beat us, I would think we’d expect to beat them. You get off to a loss in the World Cup, it’s a bit annoying and you’re going to be a little bit down,” Tennant said as quoted by ICC.

What followed, however, appears to have transformed the mood within the Irish camp. Up against an England side widely regarded as one of the strongest teams in world cricket, Ireland delivered a spirited performance that convinced Tennant his players can compete with the very best.

Ireland made an impressive start, reducing England to 35 for 3 during the powerplay and putting the hosts under early pressure. Although experienced campaigners Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight combined to steady the innings and guide England’s chase, the hosts were made to work hard for their victory, eventually reaching the target with 15 balls remaining.

“You come to play England, they’re one of the best sides in the world. And I think we’ve shown that we can compete. So like I said, if you can enjoy a loss, we’ve probably enjoyed that as much as we can. And we take some positives from that and try and if we can build on it, that’d be brilliant,” said Tennant.

With an average squad age of just 23, Ireland are among the youngest teams at the tournament, and Tennant, who took charge in June 2025, appears committed to treating every match as a valuable learning experience for his developing side. With three group-stage matches still remaining, Tennant urged his players to take confidence from their performance against England and continue believing in their ability to challenge the world’s best teams.

“If we can maintain that standard in our next three games, I think we’re moving forwards,” Tennant concluded.