Ahead of the 12th edition of the IPL, which begins from March 23, TOI Sports recaps the highest run-getter in the tournament’s history.
Here’s a look at the 5 highest run scorers of all time in the IPL:
Suresh Raina (4985 runs)
Suresh Raina has been an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings since the inception of the IPL back in 2008. The southpaw’s consistent run catapulted him to the top of the run-scorers’ list in the cash-rich league. The left-handed batsman has so far scored 4985 runs in the 176 IPL matches he has played so far, at an average of 34.37. His exploits with the bat have seen him notch up one hundred and 35 half-centuries. After CSK was suspended from the IPL for two years, Raina had to don the Gujarat Lions’ jersey in 2016 and 2017. Out of his total tally of runs, Raina scored 841 runs for the Gujarat Lions in two years. Raina has crossed the 500-run mark in a single edition of the IPL on three occasions. 2013 tuned out to be his best season so far, with 548 runs scored. This was also the season in which he recorded his maiden IPL hundred against Kings XI Punjab. The upcoming season of the IPL (2019) will be the last opportunity for Raina to perhaps stake a last minute claim for a World Cup berth. Raina doesn’t seem to be in the scheme of things as such, as far as the Indian selectors are concerned. He last played an ODI in July 2018.
Highest run scorers in IPL history
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Virat Kohli (4948 runs)
No matter which team he represents, Virat Kohli sets records at will and the IPL is no different. The Indian skipper is just 37 runs adrift of Suresh Raina on the list of most IPL runs. Kohli is in second place on the list, with 4948 runs in 163 IPL matches that he has played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise. Averaging 38.35, Kohli has scored as many as four IPL centuries and 34 fifties in the league. Interestingly, all his hundreds so far were scored in the 2016 edition. It was actually a tournament that saw him create a plethora of records in the IPL. The 30-year-old also amassed 973 runs in 16 matches in that edition, at a mind boggling average of 81.08 that earned him his only Orange Cap in his IPL career so far. Virat also became the first player in the history of the IPL to complete 4000 IPL runs. His tally of 973 runs still remains the most runs scored by a player in a single IPL season. He is the only player in fact to have scored four centuries in one season. Having never managed to get their hands on the IPL trophy, despite reaching the final thrice, the Kohli-led RCB team will be hoping to turn their fortunes around in the forthcoming edition.
Rohit Sharma (4493 runs)
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma takes the third place on this list, with 4493 runs in 173 IPL matches, at an average of 31.86. Rohit represented the Deccan Chargers in the first three seasons of the IPL and played a huge role in the Hyderabad based franchise’s title-winning run in 2009, which was played in South Africa due to general elections in India. He made 1170 runs for the Chargers before moving to Mumbai in 2011. He also enjoyed huge success with MI, after being handed the reins midway through the IPL in 2013. Rohit went on to lead them to their maiden title in the same year. Rohit might not have won the Orange Cap in any season yet, but he has been consistent with the bat, clicking for his team when needed the most more often than not. He has one IPL century and 34 half-centuries under his belt. His lone IPL ton was scored against the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012. Mumbai also emerged victorious in 2015 and 2017 under Rohit’s leadership.
Gautam Gambhir (4217 runs)
Gautam Gambhir is the fourth highest run-scorer in IPL history, with 4217 runs from 154 matches. He began his IPL career with the Delhi Daredevils (rechristened Delhi Capitals now) and played three successive seasons for the Delhi franchise before taking over the reins of the Kolkata Knight Riders. He also led KKR to the IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. The left-handed batsman collected 36 IPL fifties, with his best knock of 93 being scored against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012. Having spent seven years at KKR, Gambhir returned to the Delhi fold as their captain after he was not retained by Kolkata. But he failed to turn the fortunes of DD and stepped as captain midway through IPL 2018. He played just six matches scoring 85 runs for Delhi on his return
Robin Uthappa (4086 runs)
With 4086 runs from 165 matches at an average of 28.57, Robin Uthappa features in fifth place on the list of highest run-scorers in the IPL. After playing for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors India (now defunct), Uthappa has been a key player for the KKR team since 2014. Uthappa, who has 23 IPL half-centuries, was instrumental in KKR’s title-winning run in 2014, with 660 runs in the tournament which was enough for him to win the Orange Cap.
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