IPL 2026: ‘It might happen’- Shane Watson opens up on KKR’s plan to stop Virat Kohli

Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson admitted his side are hoping for an early mistake from Virat Kohli when KKR face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial IPL 2026 clash on Wednesday.

Kohli has once again been among RCB’s standout 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 contest after suffering back-to-back ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.

Despite those failures, Watson made it clear that KKR are fully aware of the threat Kohli poses, especially given his recent record against them. The RCB star has struck three half-centuries in his last four games against Kolkata and remains one of the biggest obstacles in KKR’s path.

“Every team is always going to have plans against Virat where you perceive there’s a weakness to be, but we all know, with King Kohli, he knows exactly how to better try and navigate that as well as possible," Watson said during the pre-match press conference.

Watson referred to Kohli’s dismissal against Mumbai Indians, where the batter charged at Deepak Chahar early in his innings and mistimed a lofted shot to mid-off.

“Yeah, we just hope that he tries to play a shot like he did in the last game, a more aggressive shot right at the start of his innings. We’ve got our fingers crossed that it might happen. Chances of that happening are remote, knowing Virat," he added with a smile.

The former Australia all-rounder then showered praise on Kohli’s relentless hunger and intensity.

“But look, he’s something else. He always has been…… his insatiable appetite just to be the very, very, very best, every ball is engaged in the game that continues to burn so brightly for him. So we know we’ve got to be right on from ball one with Virat. Otherwise, he just sets a platform and a quick platform for his team so amazingly well, and he has over the years. So we have fingers crossed that we can start very well and hope that he might make a rare error and get us into the game a little bit," Watson said.

The upcoming match carries huge significance for KKR’s playoff hopes. Kolkata currently sit on nine points from 10 games and cannot afford another slip-up in the tightly packed points table race.

Interestingly, KKR have staged a remarkable turnaround after enduring a disastrous start to their campaign. The side failed to register a single win in their opening six matches but have since bounced back strongly with four consecutive victories to keep their qualification hopes alive heading into the clash against RCB.