All IPL world records Virat Kohli holds before 2026 edition

Virat Kohli has been a part of the IPL since its first edition.

One of the greatest batters in the history of cricket, Virat Kohli, will play his 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), starting from Saturday, March 28.

The 37-year-old has been one of the very few consistent players in the league for almost two decades, solidifying his spot as the greatest batter in the tournament’s history.

A few records created by Kohli seem impossible to break, while some will take time, depending on the emerging generation of players. On that note, let’s take a look at the list of all the IPL world records Virat Kohli holds heading into the new season.

Most runs in IPL history: 8661 runs

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Virat Kohli holds the record for most runs scored in the tournament’s history. Kohli has scored 8661 runs in a total of 267 matches, with a commendable average of 39.54, scoring eight centuries and 63 half-centuries.

Rohit Sharma is second on the list; however, he has only scored 7046 runs, which makes him unlikely to overtake Kohli any time soon in the list of highest run-getters. Meanwhile, active players MS Dhoni and KL Rahul are sixth and seventh, respectively.

Most runs in a single season: 973 runs

RCB stalwart also holds the record for best individual batting performance in a single IPL season. During the 2016 season, RCB finished second in the table with 16 points and later reached the final. However, they failed to win the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), losing by eight runs.

Nevertheless, Kohli was the top scorer of the season with 973 runs in 16 innings. With an average of 81.08, the Indian batter scored four centuries and seven fifties while maintaining a strike rate of 152.

Even after almost a decade, the record still seems unbreakable. In 2023, Shubman Gill came close, scoring 890 runs; however, he was still too far away.

Most centuries in IPL history: 8

While the names of Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma, David Warner and more are connected to big hitters, the consistency of Virat Kohli is often overlooked.

The 37-year-old has smashed 8 centuries in his IPL career so far, the most by any other batter. English star wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler is second on the list with seven centuries, and former RCB star Chris Gayle is third with six.

Interestingly, Kohli scored his first century in 2016, his best season, where he also scored three more. He scored his fifth century in 2019 before adding two more to his kitty in 2023. Nevertheless, his last century in the tournament came in 2024, when he scored an unbeaten 113.

Most fifties: 63

After most centuries, Virat Kohli has also scored the most fifties in the tournament. Except for the 2008 season, when he was only a rising star in the circuit, Kohli has scored at least one half-century in every single season.

During the 2025 campaign, he scored eight half-centuries, the most he has ever scored in a single season. The second name on this list is David Warner, who has 62 half-centuries; however, he is no longer part of the league, so Kohli’s record will remain safe for a long time.

Most catches by an outfield player: 117

Kohli has always been the epitome of fitness and agility in the sport. The 37-year-old has been carrying himself in the sport for more than two decades at a similar level of fitness.

Kohli is normally positioned in the covers or mid-wicket region, and he has also solidified his place as one of the best fielders in IPL history with a total of 117 catches. Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja are joint-second on the list with 109 catches.

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