Virat Kohli Trains With Heavily Strapped Knee Ahead of RCB’s IPL 2026 Clash Against LSG
NEW DELHI – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli trained with his left knee heavily strapped ahead of the IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.
Concerns regarding Kohli’s fitness emerged after he left the field with an ankle niggle during RCB’s previous fixture against the Mumbai Indians. A recent video posted on LSG’s social media accounts showed Kohli actively participating in a net session, easing immediate fears regarding his availability for Wednesday’s game.
Pre-Match Interactions and Fitness Status
During the training session, Kohli interacted with LSG support staff member Kane Williamson and shared a moment with LSG captain Rishabh Pant. Despite the heavy strapping on his left knee, the veteran batter completed an extended batting session.
Kohli has maintained excellent form throughout the early stages of the Indian Premier League 2026 season. His performance remains central to RCB’s strategy as they attempt to break away from the mid-table pack.
Virat Kohli IPL 2026 Statistics
Through his first four matches of the 2026 campaign, Kohli has provided steady production at the top of the order for RCB, including a 38-ball 50 against Mumbai Indians that featured five boundaries and one six.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Highest Score | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 179 | 59.66 | 162.72 | 69* | 2 |
Current IPL 2026 Standings Context
RCB sits third on the points table with six points. The Bengaluru franchise trails the leading Rajasthan Royals by two points and the second-place Punjab Kings by one point. A victory over an inconsistent LSG side would help RCB separate themselves from a four-team cluster currently tied at four points.
Official Squads for RCB vs LSG
Both teams feature updated rosters for the 2026 season following the mega auction cycle. RCB will lean on captain Rajat Patidar and a deep batting lineup, while LSG counters with Rishabh Pant at the helm.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Top Order: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal
- Middle Order: Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David
- All-rounders & Bowlers: 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
- Top Order: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c/wk)
- Middle Order: Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad
- All-rounders & Bowlers: 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
For more details on team records and tournament history, visit ESPNcricinfo or the official BCCI website.