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"We’re hoping he might play an aggressive shot early": KKR assistant coach Shane Watson on Kohli's poor form ahead of RCB vs KKR showdown
Batting superstar Virat Kohli kicked off the Indian Premier League on a big note, keeping himself among the runs; however, the last two matches have presented an unusual challenge for him, with the batting icon registering two successive ducks and going four matches without a century. His recent dismissals have come as a surprise considering his experience and supreme aura.
In RCB's previous outing against Mumbai Indians, Kohli was dismissed for a golden duck. Before that, he lost his wicket for a two-ball duck. Now as RCB gear up to face KKR in their upcoming encounter on Wednesday, KKR's assistant coach Shane Watson, sharing his thoughts on Kohli's form slump, said his side would look to capitalise on Kohli's struggle. But he also maintained that Kohli is unlikely to make the same mistake due to being so disciplined.
“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 at the press conference on the eve of the match.
“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. 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,” Watson added.
Despite the latest blows, Kohli has enjoyed a sensational season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026, performing brilliantly at the top of the order. So far, he has racked up 379 runs from 11 matches at an average of 42.11, striking at 163.36.
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