Virat Kohli has officially joined the ranks of the most successful cricketers ever, adding a fourth trophy to his collection after leading India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy with a four-wicket win on Sunday.

At 36, Kohli has been the face of Indian cricket for over ten years and has taken on more of a leadership and mentoring role in recent times.

Even with some older players in the squad, Kohli made it clear that the team isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In a post-match chat, he confidently stated that India could remain one of the top white-ball teams in the world for at least another eight years.

"When you leave, you want to leave the team in a better place. I believe we have a squad ready to take on the world for the next eight years," Kohli said after the match, highlighting some of his teammates he sees as future stars: "Shubman [Gill] has been fantastic, Shreyas Iyer has been great, KL [Rahul] has been finishing games, and Hardik [Pandya] has been excellent with the bat."

Despite some speculation about Rohit Sharma and Kohli possibly retiring after this win, similar to their exit from T20I cricket post last year’s World Cup, no announcements were made. It seems both legends might be eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

"There’s so much talent in the dressing room," Kohli added. "They’re all pushing to improve their game, and we [the seniors] are just here to help out, sharing our experiences, which is what makes this Indian team so strong."

Virat Kohli praises his teammates for stepping up and taking responsibility

India has struck a great balance of young talent and seasoned players in their squad over the past couple of years, making them a tough team to beat. They've won 22 out of 23 ICC tournament matches since the 2023 World Cup. With fresh faces like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Arshdeep Singh coming up, there's plenty of youthful energy to look forward to.

Kohli shared his thoughts, saying, "These are the moments you play for—titles, handling pressure, and stepping up when it counts. Everyone on the team has contributed at different times throughout the tournament." He played a key role in India's success, scoring a century against Pakistan and a crucial 84 in the semifinal against Australia.

He added, "We've all delivered strong performances, and being part of such an incredible team, especially after all the hard work in practice, feels amazing." After a brief break, Kohli will return to the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of March, eager to chase that elusive IPL trophy to complete his collection.

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