NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli was spotted working out with his left knee strapped heavily ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2026 encounter against Lucknow Super Giants at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.
In a clip shared by Lucknow’s official social media account, Kohli can be seen moving around with the left knee taped while also meeting New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. Kohli exchanged greetings with Williamson, who is part of the Lucknow support group, and later shared a hug with Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant.
Quick facts
- Kohli trained ahead of RCB vs LSG at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.
- His left knee was heavily strapped during the session and in the meeting with Kane Williamson.
- Concern followed an ankle niggle he suffered in the previous match vs Mumbai Indians.
- In IPL 2026, Kohli has 179 runs in four matches (avg 59.66, SR 162.72), including two fifties.
- Highest score so far: 69*.
- Against Mumbai Indians, he made 38-ball 50 with five fours and one six.
- RCB currently sit third with six points; the next four teams have four points each.
- RCB are two points behind Rajasthan Royals and one point behind Punjab Kings.
Kohli’s availability had come under a cloud after he walked off the field with an ankle issue during Bengaluru’s prior game against Mumbai Indians. That development sparked questions about whether he would be ready in time for the Wednesday fixture.
Those concerns eased when the batter spent time in the nets with his knee strapped, suggesting the management is handling the issue carefully. He also took part in a longer batting workout as part of the practice block.
Through the opening phase of IPL 2026, Kohli has made a strong impact, accumulating 179 runs across four appearances. His numbers read 59.66 in batting average and 162.72 in strike rate, including two half-centuries, with a best score of 69 not out.
In the match against Mumbai Indians, Kohli delivered another influential knock, scoring a fifty off 38 balls. His innings featured five boundaries and a six, underlining his ability to keep the tempo high.
RCB’s table situation vs LSG
Bengaluru will once again lean on their batting core as they look to navigate an inconsistent Lucknow Super Giants side. With the standings tightly packed around the middle, RCB know every result matters if they want to pull away from the congestion.
On the points table, RCB are placed third with six points. Four other teams are right behind them with four points each, keeping the battle crowded, while Bengaluru sit two points adrift of leaders Rajasthan Royals and one point away from Punjab Kings.
Squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Josh Hazlewood, Jordan Cox, Nuwan Thushara, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mayank Yadav, Matthew Breetzke, Anrich Nortje, Josh Inglis, Himmat Singh, Mohsin Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Akash Maharaj Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari.
