Ranking the top 10 greatest IPL batters of all time ft. Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers
The IPL has played a major role in stratospheric heights stroke-making in cricket has touched today. Six-hitting has gone from a trick shot to a regular occurrence and the versatility in batting has gone through the roof over the past decade and a half, thanks largely to the world's best batters thrilling massive crowds in the IPL.
The seismic shift in the mindset of batters and the array of shots in their arsenal has fans in India believing no team or individual score is ever insurmountable. Just the sheer number of boundaries behind the wicket, and batters playing reverse sweeps off pacers were sights unimaginable pre-IPL.
Such a thought has to be attributed to some of the best batters the IPL has witnessed over its 17-year history from India and around the globe.
While the IPL batting numbers game often gets dominated by top-order batters, those in the middle and lower order seemingly impact the outcome the most. Hence, it is only fair a ranking boasts a collection of those who have achieved ultimate success in different positions.
On that note, let us rank the top ten greatest IPL batters of all time and celebrate some of their incredible numbers and achievements.
Honorable Mentions
Faf du Plessis, Virender Sehwag, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shaun Marsh
# 10 Rohit Sharma
Mumbai Indians (MI) star Rohit Sharma was among the first batters to dominate the IPL, scoring over 400 runs in the inaugural edition in 2008. Starting his IPL career with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers, the 37-year-old played a key role in winning them the title in 2009 with 362 runs.
Rohit then moved to MI from the 2011 season and has been arguably their most important batter since. The veteran helped the franchise win five IPL titles from 2013 and 2020 with his astute captaincy and blistering batting.
Rohit is the IPL's third all-time leading scorer with 6,628 runs at an average of 29.72 and a strike rate of 131.14 in 257 games. He is also third all-time in Player of the Match awards with 19 - evidence of his impactful performances with the willow.
Rohit Sharma's overall IPL numbers
257 Matches, 6,628 Runs, 29.72 Average, 131.14 Strike Rate, 2 100s, 43 50s
# 9 Shikhar Dhawan
Much like for Team India, Shikhar Dhawan was often the forgotten man among other Indian legends in the IPL. Yet, one glance at his numbers suggests otherwise.
The southpaw is the second-leading run-scorer in IPL history with 6,769 runs and an incredible 51 half-centuries. Dhawan has been a model of consistency in the IPL, scoring over 400 runs in 9 of the 17 seasons.
While most of the other stars built their brand on six-hitting, Dhawan's batting was centered around finding gaps and connecting timely boundaries.
Shikhar Dhawan's overall IPL numbers
222 Matches, 6,769 Runs, 35.25 Average, 127.14 Strike Rate, 2 100s, 51 50s
# 8 Jos Buttler
Arguably the best overseas batter in the decade of the 2020s in the IPL, England's Jos Buttler is already a top 10 all-time batter despite playing the tournament only since 2016.
The 34-year-old started his IPL career with MI before becoming a brand with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) from 2018 to now. Despite only just cracking the top 20 in IPL runs, Buttler's average of 38.10 at a strike rate of 147.52 is among the best all-time as a combination.
While he has scored over 300 runs in five of his nine seasons, 2022 was undoubtedly his best. Buttler amassed a remarkable 863 runs at an average of 57.53 and a strike rate of 149.05, including four centuries and as many half-centuries.
With seven overall IPL centuries, the England skipper is already second all-time in terms of three-figure scores.
Jos Buttler's overall IPL numbers
107 Matches, 3,582 Runs, 38.10 Average, 147.52 Strike Rate, 7 100s, 19 50s
# 7 KL Rahul
On pure numbers, the stylish KL Rahul could easily be a top-three batter in IPL history. His average of 45.46 is the best in league history among batters with at least 2,000 runs.
Despite playing the IPL only since 2013, Rahul is already the 11th all-time leading run-scorer with 4,683 runs. The 32-year-old enjoyed an incredible stretch from 2018 to 2022 when he scored over 600 runs in all but one season (593 runs in 2019).
Rahul also won the Orange Cap in 2020 when he scored 670 runs with a century and five half-centuries.
KL Rahul's overall IPL numbers
132 Matches, 4,683 Runs, 45.46 Average, 134.60 Strike Rate, 4100s, 37 50s
# 6 Suresh Raina
If the ranking of the top ten batters was done after the first decade of the IPL, Suresh Raina would have likely been on top. Popularly referred to as 'Chinna Thala' by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans and 'Mr.IPL' in the first half of his career, Raina is among the greatest match-winners of all time.
The 37-year-old scored over 400 runs in his first seven IPL seasons from 2008 to 2014 and 350+ in his first 12 seasons.
While Raina tapered off a bit towards the final stages of his career, he remains the fifth leading run-scorer in IPL history with 5,528 runs, helping CSK win four titles from 2010 to 2021.
Suresh Raina's overall IPL numbers
205 Matches, 5,528 Runs, 32.51 Average, 136.73 Strike Rate, 1 100s, 39 50s
# 5 MS Dhoni
The one and only MS Dhoni may not have won the Orange Cap in his illustrious IPL career, but arguably no batter has finished as many games for his side in tricky run-chases. Despite batting lower in the order at No.5 and 6 for most of his career, Dhoni is sixth all-time among run-scorers with 5,243 runs.
His average of 39.12 is fifth all-time among batters with at least 3,000 runs in the IPL. Dhoni was instrumental in CSK winning a joint-record five IPL titles, including being the first team to win back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011.
The 43-year-old boasts 17 Player of the Match awards - sixth all-time in the IPL and further evidence of someone scoring game-changing and impactful runs.
MS Dhoni's overall IPL numbers
264 Matches, 5,243 Runs, 39.12 Average, 137.53 Strike Rate, 0 100s, 24 50s
# 4 Chris Gayle
If the IPL is where is right now in terms of impact on the global sporting stage, 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle deserves a big chunk of the credit.
The six-hitting machine from the West Indies, Gayle lit up stadiums like very few did and potentially ever will. He is one of only three batters in IPL history with over five centuries (6).
Gayle also owns the record for the fastest IPL century (30 deliveries), the highest score of 175*, and the most sixes with 357. He is the eighth leading run-scorer in IPL history with 4,965 runs and is one of only two players with an average of over 39 and a strike rate of over 145 among the top 20 run-scorers.
Gayle is also second in Player of the Match awards with 22 and is the only batter to have won the Orange Cap in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Chris Gayle's overall IPL numbers
142 Matches, 4,965 Runs, 39.72 Average, 148.96 Strike Rate, 6 100s, 31 50s
# 3 Virat Kohli
One of the few batters to have dominated the IPL from its infant stage to the latest edition in 2024, Virat Kohli's position as a top three all-time batter is unquestioned.
The 36-year-old is the owner of several key IPL records, including the most runs with 8,004 and the most centuries with 8.
Kohli also boasts the single-season record for the most runs achieved during his inimitable 2016 campaign with 973 runs. The champion batter has enjoyed four seasons of over 600 runs and is a two-time Orange Cap winner in 2016 and 2024.
Kohli is also joint-fourth all-time in Player of the Match awards in the IPL with 18.
Virat Kohli's overall IPL numbers
252 Matches, 8,004 Runs, 38.66 Average, 131.97 Strike Rate, 8 100s, 55 50s
# 2 David Warner
No one has dominated the past decade of the IPL with the bat as much as former Australian opener David Warner. The 38-year-old is the fourth leading run-scorer in IPL history with 6,565 runs.
Warner's 62 half-centuries are the most in league history and he also has four centuries to with that. The southpaw is the only cricketer in the IPL to have won the Orange Cap thrice in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Warner's 2016 season with 848 runs at an average of over 60 and nine half-centuries helped SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) win their lone title. The veteran batter is the leading run-getter among overseas players and is joint-fourth in terms of Player of the Match awards with 18.
Warner is also the only batter in the top ten leading run-scorers of the IPL with an average of over 40.
David Warner's overall IPL numbers
184 Matches, 6,565 Runs, 40.52 Average, 139.77 Strike Rate, 4 100s, 62 50s
# 1 AB de Villiers
Has there been a greater match-winner and more versatile batter in IPL history than former South African captain AB de Villiers? While most of the other batters have set records batting in the top order, De Villiers has matched them pound for pound despite constantly changing positions from No.3 to 6.
The 40-year-old is the only batter among those with 3,000 IPL runs with a strike rate of over 150. De Villiers' average of 39.70 is the second-best among the top ten leading run-scorers. His 5,162 runs are sixth all-time in the IPL and second most by an overseas player.
The legendary batter is also the recipient of the most Player of the Match awards in IPL history with 25. During his stellar career, De Villiers enjoyed an incredible five seasons of scoring over 400 runs at a strike rate of 150.
With longevity, consistency, domination, and versatility packaged into one, AB de Villiers is unquestionably the greatest batter in IPL history.
AB de Villiers' overall IPL numbers
184 Matches, 5,162 Runs, 39.70 Average, 151.68 Strike Rate, 3 100s, 40 50s