Virat Kohli or AB de Villiers - who has a better record in the IPL?
Virat Kohli and Ab de Villiers are two of the biggest names not just in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but in world cricket. Both have had a massive impact on the game and on the teams they have played for.
Speaking of the IPL, Kohli and de Villiers playing on the same team was a treat to watch for fans for several years. While they have had numerous memorable performances individually, they were also involved in record-breaking partnerships for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The duo hold the record for the highest partnership in the history of the IPL. They stitched a 229-run stand against the Gujarat Lions during the 2016 season. Moreover, the second-highest partnership in the tournament's history, that of 215*, was also scored by Virat and Ab, against the Mumbai Indians in 2015.
Both players have not only scored a truckload of runs for the franchise but have also played several match-winning knocks over the years. Looking at their IPL records, picking one between the two is certainly among the more difficult tasks.
Virat Kohli's IPL record
Virat Kohli is the only player to have played all seasons of the IPL for just one team - RCB. Kohli was picked by the franchise in 2008 and there has been no looking back.
While he had not scored much in the initial seasons, Kohli announced himself in 2011 when he scored 557 runs, including four fifties, playing a key role in RCB making the finals that year. He has been a consistent run-getter in the IPL, also holding the record for the most number of runs in the league, with 8004 runs at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.97.
Virat Kohli also holds the record for the most number of hundreds in the IPL, having scored eight of them, with four coming in a single season in 2016. The 2016 season was his best IPL season, as he amassed 973 runs, the most by any player in a single season. He also won the 'Orange Cap' that season and won it again last season in 2024, where he scored 741 runs.
While Virat Kohli failed to win the IPL as a captain, his record as a batter is phenomenal and unmatched in terms of runs and hundreds scored.
Ab de Villiers's IPL record
South African superstar Ab de Villiers began his IPL journey with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2008. He played three seasons for Delhi and scored his maiden IPL hundred in 2009, a season where he amassed 465 runs.
In 2011, Ab moved to RCB and became one of the mainstays and superstars of the side for seasons to come. In his first four seasons at RCB (2011-2014), he scored over 300 runs each campaign. His best seasons in the IPL came in 2015 and 2016, where he scored 513 and 687 runs, respectively, also smashing a century each year.
Overall, Ab de Villiers finished his IPL career with 5162 runs at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 151.68. He also scored three hundreds in total and is among the best players to have played in the league.
Who has a better record in the IPL?
In terms of runs scored and hundreds hit, Virat Kohli is certainly ahead of Ab de Villiers. However, throughout his IPL career, Ab had a better strike rate than Virat. It is to be noted that while Virat has opened the batting in many seasons, de Villiers always batted in the middle order.
That said, the South African played a tougher role, often having to bear the pressure and carry RCB's batting. The team had an immense dependence on de Villiers alone in the middle order when the batters at the top failed.
While Virat Kohli has also had a major impact and scored the most runs, the situations from which Ab de Villiers often bailed RCB out and won them numerous games make his record better in terms of impact.
That said, both players have been exceptional performers for RCB, and their playing together for the franchise will be cherished for years to come.