 "Top five batters in IPL history")
The Indian Premier League (IPL), in its storied history, has seen shots being developed, invented, and played with authority by batters. However, it is those batters who can push themselves to play all those shots and retain their flair for classical cricketing shots, who manage to climb the ladder of leading run-scorers in the tournament.
As IPL 2024 approaches, here we take a look at the leading run-scorers of the tournament.
Virat Kohli
When it comes to runs, and that too in the IPL, nobody goes past Virat Kohli easily. Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore has amassed 7,263 runs at an outstanding average of 37.25 in 237 matches, with seven centuries and 50 half-centuries to his name. The dashing right-hander has hit 643 fours and 243 sixes in a career spanning from 2008, when the league began its journey, to 2023.
Shikhar Dhawan
After Kohli comes a gorgeous driver of the ball, Shikhar Dhawan. The flamboyant left-hander, who has plied his trade in the leagues since its inception as well, has scored 6,617 runs in 213 matches. Dhawan, 38, has played for Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings in the league and notched up two centuries and fifty half-centuries, scoring his runs at an average of 35.39 and a strike rate of 127.18. He has hit 750 fours and 148 sixes.
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David Warner
David Warner, the most prolific among the top five run-getters in the IPL, is an Australian player with less than 200 matches to his name (176). His average of 41.54 and his strike rate of 139.92 to amass 6,397 runs are the best among all the batters with more than 6,000 runs. Warner has 646 fours and 226 sixes in his IPL career so far.
Just retired from Tests, Warner has played for only two franchises in his IPL career - Delhi (whose name changed from Daredevils to Capitals) and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Rohit Sharma
Fourth on the list is the current Indian captain and former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma. The right-handed batter, who has personified lazy elegance, has collected 6,211 runs at an average of 29.18 and a strike rate of 130.05 in 243 matches for Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in his IPL career thus far. Although he might have just one hundred to his name, the 36-year-old has hit 554 fours and 257 sixes, the most for any batter with more than 6,000 runs in the league.
Suresh Raina
Last but not least is Suresh Raina. A one-club man, Raina did not play for any other team after Chennai Super Kings refused to retain him in 2021. The left-handed batter, who represented India and also captained the Men in Blue, was always in the race for the Orange Cap till the time he played in the league.
In 205 matches, the Chinna Thala, as he was affectionately known in Chennai, scored 5,528 runs at an average of 32.52 with one hundred and 39 fifties to his name. He hit 506 fours and 203 sixes to help his team lift four titles.
Top Five Run Scorers in History of IPL
