Australia and Punjab Kings (PBKS) fast bowlers ben dwarshuis Has expressed his desire to take the prized wicket of Virat Kohli during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
After a tense bidding war with first Chennai Super Kings and then Gujarat Titans, Dwarshuis was bought by PBKS for Rs 4.40 crore in the mini auction in December.
Although the 31-year-old is yet to make his IPL debut, last year's finalists had decided to select his compatriot Xavier Bartlett as their overseas fast bowler.
Dwarshuis is waiting for his chance in the team and when the opportunity comes, he would like to play against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and perform better. Kohli.
Dwarshuis was quoted in Hindustan Times as saying, “There are probably six or seven Indian players that I could get past, but Virat Kohli's wicket is difficult to take, whether it is at home or in Bangalore. He would definitely be a player I would be happy to take.”
Unfortunately for Dwarshuis, PBKS have to play RCB only once during the group stage. The game on Sunday, May 17 in Dharamshala will be Punjab's final game of the season. This does not include any games that both sides may play if they qualify for the playoffs.
Dwarshuis also understands the importance of playing on a big stage like the IPL to build a successful career later on. Therefore, taking the wicket of Kohli on the grand stage could be of immense benefit to him not only in the franchise circuit but also for his international career.
He added, “Whenever you get on the field and get a chance to perform, there are always going to be eyes on me, whether it's from Australia or other leagues. With the viewership these competitions get, it's very easy to have a few good years, and everyone is talking about you. But then if you're not performing well, there are probably less opportunities out there because of that kind of viewership.”
Both Kohli and Dwarshuis have played against each other only once in their careers. This happened during the semi-finals of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which India won by four wickets after Kohli scored 84 off 98 balls.
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