Virat Kohli weakness figured out? KKR coach wary despite RCB star's lean run

Virat Kohli suddenly finding himself in a rare lean patch has become one of the more surprising subplots of IPL 2026. But even after back-to-back ducks, Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson made it clear that nobody inside the KKR camp is taking the RCB star lightly.

Kohli heads into Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s clash against KKR in Raipur on Tuesday having failed to score in his last two innings, managing a combined total of just three balls across both dismissals. Yet despite the dip, RCB remain firmly in control of the playoff race, sitting top of the table with 14 points and a strong net run-rate of +1.103.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Watson admitted every team continues to prepare extensively for Kohli regardless of recent form.

“Every team has plans against Virat Kohli because he’s one of the best players in the world. But the challenge is that he knows exactly how to counter those plans as well,” Watson said.

The former Australian all-rounder also admitted KKR would gladly accept an early mistake from Kohli if the opportunity arrives. We’re hoping he might play an aggressive shot early like he did in the last game, although the chances of that are probably remote because Virat is so disciplined,” Watson added.

“He’s extraordinary. His hunger to be the best and his intensity on every single ball are still burning very brightly. We know we need to be switched on from ball one because he’s someone who can set up a match incredibly well for his team.”

For RCB though, Kohli’s temporary dip has strangely highlighted one of their biggest strengths this season.

Unlike previous years where Bengaluru’s fortunes almost entirely depended on Kohli producing runs, IPL 2026 has seen the side find contributions from multiple players across the lineup. Even during Kohli’s twin failures, RCB still managed to keep winning, including their dramatic two-wicket thriller against Mumbai Indians.

HOW HAS VIRAT KOHLI'S FORM BEEN IN IPL 2026?

For most of the season, Kohli looked firmly set for another Orange Cap push.

The RCB opener started IPL 2026 in superb rhythm and quickly became one of the most reliable batters in the tournament. Across nine consecutive innings, Kohli reached double figures every single time while anchoring several important wins for Bengaluru.

He currently has 379 runs in 11 matches, but the surprising part is that he still sits outside the top 10 run-scorers list despite that strong start.

The conversation around Kohli’s form changed sharply after the clash against Lucknow Super Giants. Since then, he has registered back-to-back ducks while facing only three deliveries combined across both innings.

For most batters, that would trigger panic.

With Kohli though, teams almost seem more nervous when he goes quiet for too long.

KKR especially 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 mini-slump becomes interesting heading into the final stretch of the group stage.

The bigger positive for RCB is that they no longer look emotionally dependent on Kohli carrying 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 previous seasons.

PLAYOFF BATTLE OF TWO KINDS: RCB VS KKR

Tuesday’s clash carries very different pressures for both sides.

RCB are almost inside the playoffs already. One more win would virtually confirm qualification, and because of their healthy net run-rate, Bengaluru are now serious contenders for a top-two finish as well.

KKR, meanwhile, are playing a far more desperate game.

Despite sitting eighth with nine points from 10 matches, Kolkata have kept themselves alive through a late-season surge of four consecutive wins. Their playoff equation is fairly simple now: keep winning and hope other results start helping them.

If KKR manage to win all four remaining matches, they would finish on 17 points, a total that usually guarantees qualification.

That makes the Raipur clash huge for both teams, albeit for very different reasons.

RCB are chasing stability and momentum before the knockouts. KKR are trying to keep their season breathing for a little longer.

And somewhere in the middle of that battle sits Virat Kohli, a batter who suddenly has two ducks beside his name, but still remains the one wicket every opposition team desperately wants first.

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