Virat Kohli, suddenly in a rare slim patch, has become one of the most surprising sub-plots of IPL 2026. But even after back-to-back ducks, Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson has made it clear that no one in the KKR camp is taking the RCB star lightly.
Kohli heads into Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s clash against KKR in Raipur on Tuesday when he failed to score in his last two innings, they only managed a combined three balls through both dismissals. However, despite the slump, RCB remain firmly in control of the playoffs, topping the table with 14 points and a strong net rate of +1.103.
Ahead of the match, Watson admitted that every team continues to prepare heavily for Kohli, regardless of current form.
“Every team has plans against Virat Kohli because he is one of the best players in the world. But the challenge is that he knows exactly how to counter those plans,” Watson said.
The former Australian all-rounder also admitted that KKR would love to take an early error from Kohli if the opportunity arose. We hope he can play an aggressive knock early like he did in the last match, although the chances of that are probably slim because Virat is so disciplined,” added Watson.
“He is exceptional. His desire to be the best and his intensity on every single ball still burns very bright. We know we need to be switched on from the first ball because he is someone who can set up a game for his team incredibly well.”
For RCB, however, Kohli’s temporary slump has strangely highlighted one of their biggest strengths this season.
Unlike previous years when Bengaluru’s fortunes depended almost entirely on Kohli’s production, IPL 2026 has seen the side find contributions from several players across the line-up. Even during the Kohli twins, RCB still managed to win, including their dramatic two-wicket thriller against Mumbai Indians.
HOW WAS VIRAT KOHLI’S FORM IN IPL 2026?
For most of the season, Kohli looked firmly set for another Orange Cap push.
The RCB opener has started IPL 2026 in great rhythm and has quickly become one of the most reliable batsmen in the tournament. In nine consecutive innings, Kohli hit double figures each time while securing some important wins for Bengaluru.
He currently has 379 runs in 11 matches, but surprisingly, despite this strong start, he still sits outside the top 10 run-scorers list.
The conversation around Kohli’s form took a sharp turn after the clash with Lucknow Super Giants. He has since registered back-to-back ducks, facing just three deliveries combined in both innings.
It would cause panic in most batters.
But with Kohli, teams almost seem more nervous when he takes too long of a break.
Above all, KKR know how dangerous a fired-up Kohli can become in big matches. And with Bengaluru now closing in on a top-two finish, the timing of this small dip becomes interesting heading into the latter part of the group stage.
The bigger positive for RCB is that they no longer look emotionally dependent on Kohli, who carries the batting unit alone.
Players like Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar and others have repeatedly stepped up during pressure situations, giving Bengaluru a much more balanced look than in previous seasons.
PLAYOFF BATTLE OF TWO TYPES: RCB VS KKR
Tuesday’s clash brings very different pressures on both sides.
RCB are already almost inside the playoffs. One more win would virtually confirm qualification and with a healthy clean sheet, Bengaluru are now serious contenders for a top-two finish.
Meanwhile, KKR are playing a much more desperate game.
Although Kolkata are eighth with nine points from 10 matches, they have kept themselves alive thanks to a surge of four consecutive wins at the end of the season. Their equation for the playoffs is now fairly simple: keep winning and hope the other results start helping them.
If KKR could win all their remaining four matches, they would finish on 17 points, a tally that usually guarantees qualification.
This makes the Raipur clash huge for both teams, albeit for very different reasons.
RCB are chasing stability and momentum ahead of the knockouts. KKR are trying to make their season breathe a little longer.
And somewhere in the middle of this battle sits Virat Kohli, a batsman who suddenly has two ducks to his name but still remains the wicket every opposition team desperately wants first.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
12 May 2026 18:49 IST
