Who is the King of IPL? Virat Kohli Records, Stats & IPL Dominance
The debate over who is king of IPL remains one of the biggest among cricket fans in India. While the Indian Premier League has produced many world-class players, no name comes up consistently in these conversations more than Virat Kohli.
Not so many players in IPL history have been able to combine the passion, longevity, consistency, and the remarkable numbers like Kohli has. But is he really the king of IPL? Read on to learn more about the records, stats, and the strong dominance of one of the best batsmen the IPL, and by extension, the cricket game has ever seen.
Who is Called the King of IPL?
When people talk about the king of the IPL, they often refer to the player who has dominated the league over the years.
A couple of players fit this description:
MS Dhoni (Thala) - The iconic captain of Chennai Super Kings, who led them to five championship titles.
Rohit Sharma - A top-order batter who led the Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles.
Suresh Raina - A remarkable left-handed batsman and the first player to cross 5,000 runs in the league.
David Warner - The only player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap (top run-scorer) three times.
But no name appears more often than Kohli’s when fans debate who is the IPL king.
Why is Virat Kohli the King of IPL?
Kohli has been the backbone of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the only franchise he has ever played for in the league. For 18 consecutive seasons, his performance as a top-order batsman brought confidence and stability to the RCB squad. This easily earned him the nickname “King Kohli” among the RCB fans. He has also been popular among online cricket betting players, who back him in both the IPL and International cricket matches.
Kohli’s name also comes up as the answer to the question of who is the king of cricket in the IPL because of his individual brilliance. He’s truly one of the few players who can single-handedly turn a match. Over the years, Kohli has delivered countless match-winning innings while maintaining a strong batting average.
Other areas where Kohli shines include consistency, availability, sharp fitness, aggressive approach, and passion for the game of cricket. In June 2025, Kohli added the final piece to his legacy by helping the Royal Challengers Bengaluru win their first-ever Indian Premier League title. These qualities continue to keep his name in the conversations whenever cricket fans talk about who is IPL king.
Virat Kohli Highest Score in IPL
Every great batsman in the history of the Indian Premier League has had that special knock the fans will remember for years. Kohli is also in this conversation.
Kohli has crossed the century mark eight times in his career. But his personal best is 113 runs. He has actually reached this exact score twice, but with a different strike rate.
113 off 50 balls while playing against the Kings XI Punjab in 2016
113 off 72 balls while playing against the Rajasthan Royals in 2024
The 2016 score against Punjab is the more iconic of the two. It was Kohli’s fastest century, reaching the 100-run milestone in just 47 balls. The match was also shortened to 15 overs per side due to rain. Scoring over a century in such a short game was impressive.
But even more impressive is the fact that he played the match with 9 stitches in his hand after splitting his webbing in a previous game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite this, he dominated the bowling attack and led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a win over the Kings XI Punjab. He also earned the Man of the Match for that encounter.
The 2016 season was particularly special for Kohli. It became one of the greatest individual batting seasons in the history of the league. He scored four centuries in that season, the most by any player in a single season.
Kohli finished that year with 973 runs, which remains the most runs in season when it comes to the IPL. He also won the Player of the Tournament (Most Valuable Player) in the IPL for that year.
Virat Kohli Total Runs in IPL
No player leads Kohli when it comes to run-scoring in the Indian Premier League. His numbers over 18 seasons are remarkable and will be hard for any player to beat.
As of the end of the 2025 season, Kohli has recorded 8,661 runs in 267 matches. He remains the first and only player in the history of the league to cross the 8,000-run milestone. And he did so while playing for only one franchise, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He’s looking to increase this number in the 2026 season, while still playing for the RCB. Therefore, he is one of the players to look out for when betting on the IPL on 1xBet during the course of the season.
Here are the peak scoring seasons on his journey to 8,000+ runs:
Scored 973 runs in 16 matches in 2016 (All-time league record)
Scored 741 runs in 15 matches in 2024 (Won the Orange Cap)
Scored 657 runs in 15 matches in 2025 (Won the championship)
Scored 639 runs in 14 matches in 2023
Scored 634 runs in 16 matches in 2013
Scored 557 runs in 16 matches in 2011
The highest score by Virat Kohli came in 2016, with 973 runs in 16 matches. As seen above, Kohli has been the most consistent over his 18 seasons in the league, and that’s why he’s frequently mentioned in debates about who is the king of cricket in IPL.
Virat Kohli IPL Records and Milestones
Kohli is the king of runs. But there’s more to his portfolio. Here is a look at the other records that have defined his remarkable journey:
All-Time Run: Kohli sits at the top of the leaderboard as the league's leading run-scorer, with 8,661 runs to his name. He was the first player in history to cross the 8,000-run milestone.
Most Centuries: He has scored 8 centuries in his IPL journey, the most by any individual player. Remarkably, he achieved every single one of those hundreds while wearing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru jersey.
The 2016 Gold standard: His 2016 campaign is widely regarded as the greatest individual season in the league's history. He piled up 973 runs across the season, including scoring four centuries, which remains a record for the highest number of centuries in a single season.
Most Fifties: Virat Kohli also holds the record for the most fifties (50 or more runs) in IPL history. He has 50+ scores on 63 occasions to his name as of the 2026 season. Adding his 8 centuries takes that tally to 71.
Orange Cap Excellence: He has claimed the Orange Cap twice, awarded to the tournament's top run-scorer, winning the honour in 2016 and again in 2024. He was the first Indian player to achieve this double. Only David Warner has won the Orange Cap more, with three to his name.
Most Fours: Kohli recently set the record for the most fours in IPL history, crossing 771 boundaries. This record highlights his ability to pick gaps and score with technical precision rather than relying purely on power.
Single Franchise Journey: He is the only player to have stayed with the same franchise since the inception of the IPL. His commitment to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru since 2008 makes him the ultimate face of the franchise.
Kohli has also come up in online cricket betting markets frequently over the years, giving players a great option in the props market.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is the king of IPL?
Virat Kohli is widely regarded as the king of IPL. He has the highest run tally in IPL history, among other remarkable records that make up his outstanding professional stint.
2. Is Virat Kohli the best IPL player?
The answer to the question of who the best IPL player is often depends on personal perspective. But based on numbers and records, Virat Kohli is up there as one of the best the league has ever seen. His batting dominance over his 18-year journey has certainly earned him that reputation.
3. How many runs has Virat Kohli scored in IPL?
As of March 2026, Virat Kohli has scored 8,661 runs in the IPL in the course of his career. He’s the first to ever cross the 8,000 mark. No other batsman has managed that number in the history of the league so far.
4. How many centuries does Virat Kohli have in IPL?
The legend Kohli has eight centuries in the IPL. That’s the most centuries any player has ever scored in the league since its inception. His fastest to milestones century came in 2016 after just 47 balls.
