Most Runs in IPL History

In the history of the IPL, certain batters have demonstrated their superiority through consistent performances over the years.

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The seventeenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is underway and all the teams have already played their first matches. The tournament opener was played at the iconic M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, which also happens to be the home ground for the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) who're also the joint-most successful franchise with winning the marquee five-time champions. CSK defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first encounter.

The annual tournament holds a rich history, wherein batters have thrashed the ball all over the park while amassing truckloads of runs for themselves and their respective franchises. Courtesy of heaps of breathtaking knocks over the years, the IPL has become the favourite tournament of cricket fans across the world, and its fanbase is amongst the most loyal ones.

Top 5 Batters with Most Runs in IPL History

The poster boy of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Virat Kohli, is the most decorated cricketer of the IPL. Justifying his name, Virat has gobsmacking records to his name — 8004 runs, a batting average of 38.67, and eight hundreds. The RCB loyalist also has more than fifty half-centuries against his name since 2008. The New Delhi-born tasted the pinnacle of his success in the league during the 2016 edition, amassing a mind-boggling 973 runs including four hundreds, a feat that remains unassailed till date.

Moving forward, left-handed batter Shikhar Dhawan, who captains Punjab Kings (PBKS), is second on the list with 6,769 runs to his tally and averages 35.25. The batter's strike rate is in excess of 127.14, with a couple of hundreds and fifty one half-centuries in 221 innings so far in the cash-rich league.

Star batter Rohit Sharma, who has lifted the IPL silverware for a total of five times, has excellent returns as a batter as well. The Nagpur-born cricketer has amassed 6,628 runs in 252 innings, with the majority of them coming for Mumbai Indians, the franchise that lifted the trophy five times under Rohit's leadership. His batting records in the league are decorated with an impressive 43 half-centuries and two tons. Relieved of captaincy duties after the takeover by Hardik Pandya, 'Hitman' managed to amass the most runs for his team in IPL 2024

The attacking opening batter David Warner finds his name as the highest run-getter among overseas players, and fourth-highest overall. Warner displaced Rohit Sharma from the third spot during the 2022 edition and scored 516 runs in the following season to get past the 6000-run mark in the league's history, becoming only the third batter to do so. But opportunities were sparse in 2024 following an injury aloowing India's current all-format captain to spring ahead of him. The Aussie batter has smashed four centuries and 62 half-centuries in the league so far. Warner didn’t enjoy a great campaign in the initial half of the 2021 edition and was even dropped from the playing XI halfway through. He was purchased by his former franchise Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Capitals) for INR 6.25 crores in the mega auction ahead of IPL 2022. Warner is known for his batting calibre and has won the IPL Orange Cap thrice — 2015, 2017, and 2019.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Most Runs Holder List

Revered as Mr. IPL, former CSK batter Suresh Raina has done full justice to the title. Being the first player to breach the 5000-run mark in the league, the southpaw bid adieu to his career with 5,528 runs in 200 innings, averaging 32.51. An impressive career strike-rate of 136.73, coupled with 39 fifties and a hundred, Raina has single-handedly won matches as well as fans' hearts with his antics on the field.