5 records that Virat Kohli can break in IPL 2024
The hype and excitement for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is palpable. The 17th edition of the marquee tournament will commence on Friday, March 22, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.
One of the franchises poised to perform well and perhaps clinch their maiden title is none other than RCB, who recently incorporated the city's official name into their rebranded name and logo.
With the likes of Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Cameron Green, the Bengaluru-based franchise boasts some top-class players in their ranks, including modern-day legend Virat Kohli.
There's no underestimating Kohli's importance to RCB; he's not just a world-class batter but also a leader and a source of inspiration for the team. Kohli remains the only individual to have played all 16 IPL seasons for a single franchise.
As he enters IPL 2024, much is riding on his shoulders. After being unavailable for the entire five-match Test series against England, all eyes are on the star batter to rediscover his golden touch.
Moreover, with the T20 World Cup 2024 scheduled for June, his form will be closely watched. The 35-year-old, who has broken numerous records over his illustrious career, has a chance to break a few more this year.
In this article, we will delve into five records that Kohli has a strong chance of breaking in IPL 2024.
#5 Most catches in IPL history
In addition to being a batting icon, Virat Kohli is a superb fielder. The Delhi-born player fields in the deep or inside the circle and takes outrageous catches almost every campaign.
He ranks second on the list of outfield players with the most catches in IPL history. Taking the field 235 times in the tournament, Kohli has bagged 106 catches and needs only four more to add another record to his name.
Currently, Suresh Raina holds the prestigious record, having taken 109 catches in 204 innings during his playing days.
#4 First player to hit 3000 IPL runs at a single venue
Virat Kohli has always said that Bengaluru has been his second home. He is undoubtedly the most loved person in the Garden City of the country, providing entertainment with his masterful batting since 2008.
At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli has amassed 2,700 runs at a superb strike rate of over 140 in 79 innings. His 2,700 runs are the most any batter has scored in IPL at a particular venue.
If Kohli manages to score 300 runs at RCB's home ground this season, he will become the first cricketer to complete 3000 IPL runs at a single stadium.
#3 First player to play 250 IPL games for a single team
Already at the epitome of RCB's history, Virat Kohli could become the first-ever player to compete in 250 IPL games for a single franchise.
So far, the 35-year-old has played 237 matches, in which he has amassed over 7000 runs at an average of 37.25. If Kohli goes on to play 13 matches at IPL 2024, he will complete 250 games for the franchise in the cash-rich league.
Kohli ranks first on the list of players representing a single franchise most times in the IPL. MS Dhoni is below Kohli on the list. The former CSK captain has played 219 IPL games for the Men in Yellow.
#2 First Indian to complete 12,000 T20 runs
No other Indian batter has scored more T20 runs than Virat Kohli. The batting maestro has accumulated 11,994 runs in 359 innings at an average of 41.21 and at a strike rate 133.42 in the shortest format of the game.
He is just six runs short of becoming the first-ever Indian and the sixth over batter to complete 12,000 T20 runs. In all likelihood, he is expected to complete the landmark in the first game itself.
In doing so, Kohli will become the second-fastest player to achieve the landmark. Chris Gayle holds the record, who smashed his 12,000 runs in only 345 innings.
In addition, he is just a half-century short of accumulating a hundred fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. In the format, Kohli has amassed eight hundreds and 91 fifties thus far.
This incredible accomplishment has only been accomplished thus far by David Warner (101 fifty and eight tons) and Chris Gayle (88 fifty and 22 tons).
#1 Virat Kohli could become the first-ever player to reach 8000 IPL runs
Virat Kohli is currently the leading run-scorer in the history of the IPL with 7,263 runs to his name from 237 matches.
Shikhar Dhawan is just behind him with 6,617 runs. Kohli needs another 737 runs to become the first player in the history of the IPL to reach the 8000-run mark.
While it is quite tough to produce a 700-run season, Kohli has previously achieved even greater heights when he single-handedly made 973 runs in IPL 2016.
In IPL 2021, Kohli became the fastest player ever to complete 6,000 runs in the cash-rich league, reaching the landmark in 196 innings. Last year, he became the only player to achieve 7,000 runs in the marquee tournament.