R Ashwin defends Virat Kohli’s blunt ‘prove my worth’ remarks amid 2027 World Cup talk

Ravichandran Ashwin has backed his former captain and India teammate Virat Kohli following his blunt 'proving himself' remarks during an RCB podcast with presenter Mayanti Langer recently. Kohli made headlines for speaking his heart out on several topics, including his Test retirement, 2027 ODI World Cup aspirations and how he keeps motivating youngsters to do well. But what garnered everyone’s attention was his remark on being unwilling to ‘prove himself’ to anyone after all he has done for his country.

Speaking on RCB’s podcast, Kohli said, “My perspective is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I am part of, and the environment feels that I can add value, I will be seen. If I am made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I am not in that space.

“If you go to a workplace and people say they believe in your abilities and a week later they start questioning the way you operate, it’s like, ' Why?” he said. “Either tell me on day one that I am not good enough or not needed. But if you have said I am good enough and you are not thinking otherwise, then be quiet.”

Although the fans were quick to respond to his remarks, bringing out numbers and his stats in the last five years in Tests, suggesting he shouldn’t have said that, R Ashwin threw his weight behind the batting giant. He said he agrees with Kohli’s point as the former RCB captain has nothing left to prove to anyone, having won countless matches for India and his IPL franchise over close to two decades.

“If Virat Kohli is saying that he doesn’t need to prove his worth to anyone, then he is right. There’s nothing left for him to prove to anybody. My thought process was the same, too. Who do I even have to prove anything to? After playing for so many years and winning many games for India, who does he still need to prove to?” Ashwin said, while responding to questions around this during a video chat.

Kohli, however, remains an integral part of Team India’s ODI outfit, since calling time on the remaining two formats. With the One-Day World Cup more than a year away, Kohli, 37, remains persistent in continuing to perform and sealing his number three spot in the ODI side.

As of now, he is plying his trade for RCB in IPL 2026, which sits at the top of the table with 16 points from 12 matches.