On April 18, the Indian Premier League (IPL) celebrates its 18th birthday, a tournament that revolutionised cricket and changed the sport’s landscape forever. The league’s inception was nothing short of dramatic, as Brendon McCullum of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lit up the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with an unforgettable 158* off just 73 deliveries, smashing ten fours and thirteen sixes against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). That one knock announced the arrival of a cricketing carnival. As the league undergoes its 18th season, Virat Kohli stands as the highest run-scorer in IPL history. Representing just one franchise–Royal Challengers Bangalore–Kohli has amassed an astounding 8,252 runs from 258 matches, including eight centuries and 58 fifties. Remarkably, he has never missed a season for RCB, making him the league’s most loyal and prolific batter.
Just behind Kohli is veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan, who has accumulated 6,769 runs in 222 matches. Unlike Kohli, Dhawan has journeyed across five franchises: Mumbai Indians (MI), Deccan Chargers (DCH), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
India’s five-time IPL-winning captain, Rohit Sharma, sits third on the list with 6,710 runs from 263 matches. He has played for two teams–Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians–and has lifted the trophy with both, cementing his status as one of the league’s most successful players.
Australian southpaw David Warner, a destructive force at the top of the order, occupies the fourth spot. With 6,565 runs in 184 games, Warner has represented Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, leading SRH to their maiden title in 2016.
Fifth on the list is Suresh Raina, the now-retired former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stalwart. Raina scored 5,528 runs in 205 matches and also represented Gujarat Lions during CSK’s brief suspension from the league.
On the bowling front, Yuzvendra Chahal leads the charts with 211 wickets in 166 matches. His IPL journey began with Mumbai Indians, but it was at RCB where he truly flourished. Later, he represented Rajasthan Royals, and in 2024, Punjab Kings secured his services for a whopping INR 18 crore.
Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla follows with 192 wickets in 192 games. A two-time IPL winner, Chawla hit the winning runs in KKR’s 2012 final and was also part of CSK’s victorious 2021 squad. He has also featured for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Mumbai Indians.
Third on the list is KKR legend Sunil Narine. Since joining the franchise in 2012, Narine has been a game-changer with both bat and ball. He played a key role in KKR’s title triumphs in 2012, when he took 24 wickets, and in 2014, when he took 21 wickets. In 2024, Narine had a dream season, scoring 488 runs and taking 17 wickets, helping KKR lift their third IPL title. In total, Narine has 187 wickets from 183 games. He was also adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the Season thrice (2012, 2018, 2024).
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the swing specialist, also has 187 wickets, achieved across 181 matches. He has played for RCB, Pune Warriors India, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, winning the Purple Cap twice in the process.
Ravichandran Ashwin rounds off the top five with 185 wickets in 218 matches. Ashwin has donned the jerseys of Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Rising Pune Supergiants, and Rajasthan Royals. In 2025, he returned to CSK, reuniting with the franchise where it all began.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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