IPL 2026: Virat Kohli’s strong record against KKR faces toughest challenge in Sunil Narine

Virat Kohli continues to stand head and shoulders above the rest as the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star once again finds himself in focus ahead of a crucial clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. KKR is one of the five teams against whom Kohli has crossed the 1000-run mark in the IPL.

In the ongoing IPL 2026 season, Kohli has embraced a far more aggressive batting approach compared to previous years. The RCB opener has scored 379 runs so far at a striking rate of 163.36, playing a key role in Bengaluru’s strong campaign. However, despite the impressive season overall, Kohli heads into the high-voltage encounter looking to end a rare slump after registering back-to-back ducks in his last two innings. With RCB aiming to strengthen their hold at the top of the table, Kohli’s return to form could prove decisive.

Kohli’s Impressive Record Against KKR

Kohli has consistently enjoyed batting against KKR throughout his IPL career. In 32 innings against the three-time champions, he has amassed 1021 runs at an impressive average of 40.84, including one century and seven half-centuries. Over his last five outings against Kolkata, Kohli has scored three half-centuries, in which two of his innings he remained unbeaten.