Top 5 partnerships in IPL history ft. Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan
T20 is a batter's game. With the advent of various T20 leagues around the world, batters are playing more fearlessly and are not afraid to play attacking cricket from the outset.
Smaller boundaries, the fearless approach of batters, and aggressive cricket in the powerplay overs and at the death have led to huge totals being set and also chased in the shortest format.
The last decade has witnessed various 200-run-plus partnerships in the IPL and it is a matter of time before the 250-run mark will also be breached. On that note, here is a look at the top five partnerships in IPL history.
#1 229 - Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers
One cannot look beyond the dynamic duo of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers when it comes to the highest partnership in the IPL. The duo holds the record for the highest and the second-highest partnership in the history of IPL cricket.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore is the venue that witnessed the highest-ever partnership in the IPL. The now-defunct Gujarat Lions were competing against RCB on May 14, 2016, when the landmark was achieved.
Kohli and de Villiers added 229 runs for the second wicket from just 96 balls and the Chinnaswamy Stadium was in a frenzy. Runs were coming from the bats of both Kohli and de Villiers and the Gujarat Lions skipper Brendon McCullum had no clue how to stop the onslaught.
AB de Villers struck at an unbelievable strike rate of 248.07 and scored 129 runs from just 52 balls. The then RCB skipper, Virat Kohli scored 109 from just 55 balls. The duo smashed 15 boundaries and 20 maximums during the partnership.
RCB scored 248 during their innings and won the match by a huge margin of 144 runs.
#2 215*- Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers
The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed fireworks from the blades of Kohli and de Villiers on the night of May 10, 2015.
After Chris Gayle was dismissed early, AB de Villiers joined the then-skipper Kohli in the middle and made an immediate impact. The South African keeper-batter scored 133 runs at a strike rate of 225.42 and smashed 19 boundaries and four maximums.
Kohli provided the perfect support to AB de Villiers and played a subdued but impactful and mature innings of 82 from just 50 balls.
The duo added 215 runs from just 101 balls and RCB posted a huge total of 235. The Mumbai Indians (MI) bowlers were taken to the cleaners by the duo.
MI fell short of the target by 39 runs and AB de Villiers was named Player of the Match.
#3 210 - KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock
The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai witnessed fireworks from the bat of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper, KL Rahul and keeper-batter Quinton de Kock during the 2022 edition of the IPL.
In a close encounter with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 18, 2022, Rahul and de Kock added 210 runs for the opening wicket and were unbeaten during the innings.
De Kock was the dominant partner scoring at an astonishing strike rate of 200. An innings of 140 from just 70 balls, including 10 boundaries and as many maximums is one of the best innings played to date in the IPL. The southpaw was aggressive from the outset and none of the bowlers were spared. An experienced bowling lineup, comprising Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Sunil Narine, Andrew Russell, and Varun Chakravarthy had no answer to the onslaught by the South African.
KL Rahul played the perfect supporting role and 68 runs at a strike rate of 133.33 including four maximums. He ensured that De Kock, who was at his dominant best got most of the strike and inflicted wounds on the KKR bowlers.
LSG scored 210 runs in 20 overs and won the game by a narrow margin of two runs.
#4 210*- Shubhman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan
The dynamic duo of Gill and Sai Sudharsan smashed the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowlers all over the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 11, 2024.
The Gujarat Titans (GT) batters took full advantage of a hapless CSK bowling attack in the absence of Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana. The likes of Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, and Daryl Mitchell were taken to the cleaners.
In 102 balls, Gill and Sudharsan added 210 runs for the first wicket. Both batters were equally aggressive during the partnership and completed their respective centuries. Gill scored 104 runs from 55 balls (nine boundaries and six maximums) and Sai Sudharsan smashed 103 from 51 balls (five boundaries and seven maximums). The duo were inseparable on the crease and played a wide range of shots all over the park.
GT scored a mammoth 231 in their 20 overs and won the game comfortably by a margin of 35 runs. The Titans skipper Gill was named Player of the Match.
#5 206 - Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist
The Aussie duo, comprising Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist, were at their absolute best on March 17, 2011.
In a group match between RCB and Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings) in Dharamsala, the Kings lost an early wicket of Paul Valthaty. What followed was absolute carnage for the bowlers.
Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh added 206 runs in just 96 balls and the former was dismissed on the penultimate delivery of the innings. Gilchrist was the dominant batter, scoring 106 runs at an astounding strike rate of 192.72. He smashed eight boundaries and nine maximums.
Marsh, on the other hand, played a composed innings of 79 from 49 balls that included seven boundaries and five maximums. Riding on the partnership between the two southpaws, the Kings posted a commanding total of 211 and won the game by a huge margin of 111 runs.