Top 10 Leading run-getters in the IPL so far

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed tons of run getting scored in various editions by some of the best batsmen who also happen to be coming across from the different parts of the world. Many of the explosive stroke players being Indians as well as the foreign players have marked their presence in one of the most entertaining and exciting contests in the sporting history. The franchises have also been very much fortunate to have some of the greatest batsmen in the shortest format of the game in their ranks.

Both the Indian and the overseas batsman have put up a great run-heavy exhibition and grabbed every single opportunity to depict their worth in this form of the game. Many of the best modern-day batsmen like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Suresh Raina and many others have used this platform to gain maturity and settle down their spot in the national setup. While many players like David Warner, David Miller were called up to their national teams, a few leading faces were called up to following their performances in the IPL.

Here are the top ten leading run scorers in the history of IPL:

1. Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina claims the top spot for the leading run-getters in the history of the Indian Premier League. He has also been the most consistent name featuring in every list of the leading run scorers in the various editions of the tournament. His flexibility and regularity in run-scoring are absolutely spectacular and unmatched, which is why he has been a key match-winner for his franchises. Raina started his IPL journey in 2008 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where he scored 421 runs in 16 matches at an average of more than 38.

After the first fruitful season, the left-hander started to add some more interesting shots to his armory which also helped him to be a persistent performer in the tournament. The southpaw experienced his best outings in 2013 in which he totaled 548 runs at an explosive strike rate of 150.13, which also included a three-figure score. After CSK being suspended for two years, Raina shifted his sights as the captain of the Gujrat Lions in the previous two editions of the IPL. But the heavy-run scoring habit was not affected at all, as he maintained his supremacy over the bowlers even in the Lions’ Den. In the 2018 IPL auction, the 31-year old once again joined hands with his old friends, as he was retained by CSK as their second choice after MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja being the third retention.

2. Virat Kohli

The second name in the leading run scorers in the IPL belongs to none other than the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper and the current Indian team captain Virat Kohli. At present, there won’t be too many lists which does not has Kohli’s name in its higher ranks. Such has been his greatness and fluency even in the shortest format of the game. He experienced some quiet and tentative runs in the first three editions of the tournament, probably in the early stages of his career when he was exploring his skills.

Then in 2011, the right-hand batsman had an impulsive season in which he amassed 557 runs at a healthy average of 46.41 and also finished as the second-highest run-getter in that season of the IPL. After that season, Kohli has thus experienced an astonishingly out-breaking and staggering run in the Indian team across the three formats of the game. But in 2016, the Indian captain broke all the previous records and produced a great high brand of cricket in which he scored a record 973 runs at a mind-boggling average of 81.08, which also included four centuries to his name. Virat was retained by RCB for the upcoming season for a worthy rate of Rs 17 crores and also became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL.

3. Rohit Sharma

When talking about the leading run-scorers in the IPL, the Indian batsmen with no question holds the prime fortress as they are quite aware of the conditions in the sub-continent. Indian opener Rohit Sharma is the third batsman in this tally as he has scored 4207 runs in 159 matches at a strike rate of more than 130. The right-hander started his IPL campaign with the Deccan Chargers in 2008 as a middle-order batsman, in which he finished with 404 runs at an average of more than 36.

In the 2011 auction, he was bought by the Mumbai Indians and then started a new journey for the explosive cricketer who had time-to-time worked a lot on his skills and developed a lot as a batsman to nurture in the different situations of the game. He was appointed as the skipper of the franchise in 2013, after which he advanced his game to a further greater level and led his side to the numero uno position a record three times in 2013, 2015 and 2017. The Mumbaikar has a large variety of shots in his kitty and also has the ability to change gears which is very important aspect in this form of the game. Rohit was retained by Mumbai Indians during the  2018 retentions as their prime player and will be leading the side in their quest to defend the title.

4. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir has also been one of the most prolific and undeviating batsmen in the entire history of the IPL ,which is why he features in this tally. The veteran Indian opening batsman advanced his IPL progress with the Delhi Daredevils, where he experienced some definite outings in the first three editions of the competition. He was then bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011 and was also appointed as the skipper of the side.

Gambhir led KKR twice in their victorious campaigns in 2012 and 2014, where in both the occasions he has also been amongst the top run-getters of the season. The left-hander also occupies the second spot in the list of scoring most number of centuries in the history of IPL  with 35 fifties to his name. The fans witnessed one of the most convincing seasons of IPL from Gambhir in 2012, where he scored 590 runs at an average of close to 40 and a steady rate of 143. At the 2018 auction, the southpaw returned to his old and home fortress franchise, as he was bought by the Delhi Daredevils and would be playing the rest of  his numbered years in this extravaganza for his hometown IPL team.

5. David Warner

David Warner has emerged as the most consistent and matured overseas batsman in the history of the exciting tournament. He started his run with the Delhi Daredevils in 2009, in which he played only 7 games after which he was also called up to the Australian T20 side and then in the ODI side. The Aussie opener was then picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014, from where started the unique phase of his spectacular and staggering journey in Hyderabad.

Warner had an incredible run with the Hyderabad franchise in the first season, after which he was also appointed the captain of the side. He led his team towards their maiden title in 2016 and also finished as the second highest run-scorer in that season. The left-hander has also won the coveted Orange Cap on two occasions in 2015 and 2017 and also holds the record of scoring the most number of IPL half-centuries with a record 36 fifties to his name. SRH retained the Australian opener as their captain for the upcoming season of the IPL and to relish his experienced services for another successful campaign.

6. Robin Uthappa

Robin Uthappa is another Indian middle-order batsman featuring in this list of highest run scorers in the history of the IPL. The right-hander is also the only name in the tally to have played for several franchises so far in the competition. He started his paradise with the Mumbai Indians in 2008 and then went on to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors and then was eventually bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014, where he started his delightful journey with the Knights.

In his debut season with KKR, Uthappa finished as the leading run scorer of the tournament as he tallied 660 runs at an average of 44 and was also awarded the Orange Cap for his golden run. He has featured in putting up some strong foundations at the top along with his skipper Gautam Gambhir and the former has been a flexible batsman in the KKR setup to prove his worth in all situations. After a fruitful journey of four years, KKR once again retained Uthappa at the 2018 IPL auction through the RTM option and is also the most likely candidate for the skipper’s role in the upcoming season.

7. Chris Gayle

The highest run scorer in T20 cricket with more than 10,000 runs to his name occupies the seventh spot in the list of leading run-getters. Gayle is the most resounding and featuring personalities in the shorter version of the game and is also quite an experienced campaigner in IPL. The big West Indian was also picked as the ambassador of T20 cricket after he scored the first ever hundred in this format in 2007 T20 World Cup. He had a dismal run with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three editions of the event.

But then the opener was selected by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as a replacement for Australian fast bowler Dirk Nannes in 2011. Gayle then unleashed his explosive reputed firepower and was adjudged with the Orange Cap twice in a row in 2011 and 2012. But the Caribbean cricketer has lately failed to make the similar kind of impact in the last two editions of the IPL. Which is also a big reason that the franchises were not very interested to procure his services for the upcoming season, but was eventually bought by the Kings XI Punjab for his base price in the third round.

8. Shikhar Dhawan

Opening batsmen have always been in the leading run scorers in T20 cricket and in the IPL. Another top Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan holds the eighth spot in this list. The left-hander has surely emerged to be a real match-winner for his team in the recent years with his wide array of shots and stylish stroke-playing accompanies with charismatic timing. The beginning of his IPL journey started with the Delhi Daredevils and then also played for the Mumbai Indians.

But his defining expedition started with the Sunrisers Hyderabad where he experienced a lean debut season in which he scored only 259 runs in 14 matches. Then in 2016, he scored an impressive 501 runs in 17 matches at an average of 38.53 and played a key role in his franchise’s maiden title run. He has been involved in some big match-changing opening partnerships with his Aussie companion, David Warner in the recent years for SRH. Thus the franchised retained him at the 2018 IPL auction for Rs 5.2 crore by using their first RTM card.

9. MS Dhoni

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni is the only name in this leading run-getters list, who does not features in the top order for his franchises. Since the introduction of IPL in 2008, Dhoni was one of the most talked cricketers in the extravagant event as he was the captain of the Indian team who won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007. He was then picked as the face of the tournament by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and led his team to victorious title runs twice in row in 2010 and 2011.

Dhoni has some dazzling numbers and many match-making performances to his name, along with providing the finishing touch on several occasions in his entire IPL career. He has scored 3561 runs at a strike rate of more than 136, which also includes 17 half-centuries in his tally. But as seen in the past two years, the wicket-keeper batsman has been requiring a considerable amount of time to settle down to unveil his reputed exploits. Still considering his vast experience and skillful mindset, CSK once again retained him as their captain in the upcoming season of the IPL.  He would also be hoping to have a delightful and exciting season with the same franchise with whom Dhoni started his IPL journey.

10. AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers is regarded as one of the most explosive and sensational cricketers in the shorter version of the game in the modern day era. After having a stunning season with the Delhi Daredevils, the Proteas batsman was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2011 for an aspiring passage. He experienced a terrific run with the RCB scoring tons of runs in his first few seasons with the franchise in the competition. The right-hander has the unique ability to play some of the innovative shots along with the orthodox strokes.

His most impressive season with the RCB came in 2016, in which he scored a massive 687 runs at an average of more than 50 and a staggering strike rate of nearly 170. De Villiers has reached the three-figure mark thrice in the various IPL campaigns. He also has the second highest career strike rate of 148, with his former RCB teammate Chris Gayle holding the topmost spot with a steady rate of 151. The Protean striker was retained by RCB for a whopping rate of Rs 11 crores as their second retention for the upcoming edition of the IPL.

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