Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Photo by ANI) Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson has admitted his team is hoping for an early error from Virat Kohli when KKR take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial IPL 2026 clash on Wednesday.Kohli has once again been among RCB’s top performers this season, scoring 379 runs in 11 matches at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of 163.36. However, the veteran batter enters the competition after suffering back-to-back ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.
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Delhi Capitals’ Madhav Tiwari reflects on his brilliant all-round performanceDespite these setbacks, Watson made it clear that KKR are fully aware of the threat that Kohli poses, especially considering his recent results against them. The RCB star has hit three half-centuries in his last four matches against Kolkata and remains one of the biggest hurdles in KKR’s path.“Every team is always going to have plans against Virat where you realize there’s a weakness, but we all know with King Kohli, he knows exactly how to try better and get the best out of it,” Watson said during the pre-match press conference.Watson referred to Kohli’s dismissal against Mumbai Indians, where the batsman lunged at Deepak Chahar early in his innings and mistimed a lofted shot to mid-on.“Yeah, we just hope he tries to play a shot like last game, a more aggressive shot right at the start of his innings. Fingers crossed that it happens. Chances of that happening are slim knowing Virat,” he added with a smile.The former Australian all-rounder then praised Kohli’s unrelenting hunger and intensity.“But look, he’s something else. He’s always been…his voracious appetite to be the very best, every ball is involved in the game which is still so bright for him. So we know we have to be right from the first ball with Virat. Otherwise, he just sets the platform and the quick platform for his team so amazingly, very well, and he’s got a rare error over the years that we can rarely do and we can hope to do well. we’ve been involved in the game a little bit.” Watson said.The upcoming match holds immense significance for KKR’s playoff hopes. Kolkata currently have nine points from 10 matches and cannot afford another drop in the tightly packed points table.Interestingly, KKR have made a remarkable turnaround after enduring a disastrous start to their campaign. The team did not register a single win in their opening six matches, but have bounced back in a big way since then with four consecutive victories to keep their qualification hopes alive against RCB.
