Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru holds the record for the most runs in IPL cricket: 9,336 of them, spread over 275 innings, averaging 40.42. No other batter is within a thousand runs of him.
These lists draw on 1,243 IPL games, stretching from opening night on 18 Apr 2008 to 31 May 2026. When a batter switched clubs he still gets a single row, labelled with his main one or two sides, and that row holds his complete IPL tally. Old franchise names are folded into today’s: Kings XI Punjab rows sit under Punjab Kings, and Delhi Daredevils rows under Delhi Capitals.
How the IPL highest run scorers list is built
The main table ranks batters by total IPL runs. Runs made in super overs do not count here. Next to the runs you can see innings, highest score, average, strike rate, hundreds and fifties, which tell you how each batter got there.
Kohli’s lead is wide. Rohit Sharma (MI/Deccan Chargers) is second with 7,329 runs in 276 innings, so Kohli is well clear despite batting one innings fewer. Shikhar Dhawan (SRH/DC) is third on 6,769 and David Warner (SRH/DC) fourth on 6,565. Warner’s average of 40.52 is a touch higher than Kohli’s, and he got there in just 184 innings.
Only one name in the top 25, Kohli, played for a single franchise. Most of the others are listed with two teams, such as KL Rahul for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
Most Runs in IPL History: Top 25 Run Scorers
| Batter | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 275 | 275 | 9,336 | 113* | 40.42 | 134.80 | 9 | 68 |
| RG Sharma MI/Deccan Chargers | 276 | 276 | 7,329 | 109* | 29.91 | 132.92 | 2 | 49 |
| S Dhawan SRH/DC | 221 | 221 | 6,769 | 106* | 35.26 | 127.14 | 2 | 51 |
| DA Warner SRH/DC | 184 | 184 | 6,565 | 126 | 40.52 | 139.77 | 4 | 62 |
| KL Rahul PBKS/LSG | 150 | 150 | 5,815 | 152* | 46.15 | 139.15 | 6 | 45 |
| SK Raina CSK/Gujarat Lions | 200 | 200 | 5,528 | 100* | 32.52 | 136.73 | 1 | 39 |
| MS Dhoni CSK/Rising Pune Supergiant | 242 | 242 | 5,439 | 84* | 38.30 | 137.45 | 0 | 24 |
| AM Rahane RR/KKR | 197 | 197 | 5,367 | 105* | 30.15 | 125.60 | 2 | 35 |
| SV Samson RR/DC | 186 | 186 | 5,181 | 119 | 31.79 | 141.13 | 5 | 27 |
| AB de Villiers RCB/DC | 170 | 170 | 5,162 | 133* | 39.71 | 151.69 | 3 | 40 |
| CH Gayle RCB/PBKS | 141 | 141 | 4,965 | 175* | 39.72 | 148.96 | 6 | 31 |
| RV Uthappa KKR/Pune Warriors | 197 | 197 | 4,952 | 88 | 27.51 | 130.35 | 0 | 27 |
| KD Karthik KKR/RCB | 234 | 234 | 4,842 | 97* | 26.32 | 135.36 | 0 | 22 |
| F du Plessis CSK/RCB | 147 | 147 | 4,773 | 96 | 35.10 | 135.79 | 0 | 39 |
| JC Buttler RR/GT | 136 | 136 | 4,646 | 124 | 39.71 | 149.73 | 7 | 28 |
| Shubman Gill GT/KKR | 131 | 131 | 4,598 | 129 | 40.33 | 142.09 | 5 | 32 |
| SA Yadav MI/KKR | 164 | 164 | 4,581 | 103* | 33.68 | 148.59 | 2 | 31 |
| AT Rayudu MI/CSK | 187 | 187 | 4,348 | 100* | 28.23 | 127.54 | 1 | 22 |
| SS Iyer DC/PBKS | 145 | 145 | 4,229 | 101* | 35.84 | 136.73 | 1 | 32 |
| G Gambhir KKR/DC | 152 | 152 | 4,217 | 93 | 31.01 | 123.88 | 0 | 36 |
| MK Pandey KKR/SRH | 164 | 164 | 4,012 | 114* | 29.50 | 121.83 | 1 | 22 |
| SR Watson RR/CSK | 141 | 141 | 3,874 | 117* | 30.99 | 137.91 | 4 | 21 |
| RR Pant DC/LSG | 136 | 136 | 3,865 | 128* | 33.61 | 146.79 | 2 | 20 |
| Ishan Kishan MI/SRH | 127 | 127 | 3,600 | 106* | 30.51 | 143.54 | 1 | 23 |
| RA Jadeja CSK/RR | 209 | 209 | 3,526 | 77* | 29.14 | 130.64 | 0 | 5 |
Highest Runs in One IPL Season
| Player | Runs | Season | M | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 973 | 2016 | 16 | 81.08 |
| Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans | 890 | 2023 | 17 | 59.33 |
| JC Buttler Rajasthan Royals | 863 | 2022 | 17 | 57.53 |
| DA Warner Sunrisers Hyderabad | 848 | 2016 | 17 | 60.57 |
| V Suryavanshi Rajasthan Royals | 776 | 2026 | 16 | 48.50 |
| B Sai Sudharsan Gujarat Titans | 759 | 2025 | 15 | 54.21 |
| V Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 741 | 2024 | 15 | 61.75 |
| KS Williamson Sunrisers Hyderabad | 735 | 2018 | 17 | 52.50 |
| MEK Hussey Chennai Super Kings | 733 | 2013 | 17 | 52.36 |
| CH Gayle Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 733 | 2012 | 14 | 61.08 |
| Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans | 732 | 2026 | 16 | 45.75 |
| F du Plessis Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 730 | 2023 | 14 | 56.15 |
| B Sai Sudharsan Gujarat Titans | 722 | 2026 | 17 | 45.12 |
| SA Yadav Mumbai Indians | 717 | 2025 | 16 | 65.18 |
| CH Gayle Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 708 | 2013 | 16 | 59.00 |
IPL Top Scorer Each Season (Orange Cap Winners)
| Season | Player | Runs | M | Avg | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | V Suryavanshi Rajasthan Royals | 776 | 16 | 48.50 | 237.31 |
| 2025 | B Sai Sudharsan Gujarat Titans | 759 | 15 | 54.21 | 156.17 |
| 2024 | V Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 741 | 15 | 61.75 | 154.70 |
| 2023 | Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans | 890 | 17 | 59.33 | 157.80 |
| 2022 | JC Buttler Rajasthan Royals | 863 | 17 | 57.53 | 149.05 |
| 2021 | RD Gaikwad Chennai Super Kings | 635 | 16 | 45.36 | 136.27 |
| 2020 | KL Rahul Punjab Kings | 670 | 14 | 55.83 | 129.34 |
| 2019 | DA Warner Sunrisers Hyderabad | 692 | 12 | 69.20 | 143.87 |
| 2018 | KS Williamson Sunrisers Hyderabad | 735 | 17 | 52.50 | 142.44 |
| 2017 | DA Warner Sunrisers Hyderabad | 641 | 14 | 58.27 | 141.81 |
| 2016 | V Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 973 | 16 | 81.08 | 152.03 |
| 2015 | DA Warner Sunrisers Hyderabad | 562 | 14 | 43.23 | 156.55 |
| 2014 | RV Uthappa Kolkata Knight Riders | 660 | 16 | 44.00 | 137.79 |
| 2013 | MEK Hussey Chennai Super Kings | 733 | 17 | 52.36 | 129.51 |
| 2012 | CH Gayle Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 733 | 14 | 61.08 | 160.75 |
| 2011 | CH Gayle Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 608 | 12 | 67.56 | 183.13 |
| 2010 | SR Tendulkar Mumbai Indians | 618 | 15 | 47.54 | 132.62 |
| 2009 | ML Hayden Chennai Super Kings | 572 | 12 | 52.00 | 144.81 |
| 2008 | SE Marsh Punjab Kings | 616 | 11 | 68.44 | 139.68 |
Averages, strike rates and hundreds
Total runs reward long careers, so the other columns matter. Among the top 25, nobody averages more than KL Rahul (PBKS/LSG), whose 5,815 runs from 150 innings work out at 46.15. The quickest scorer of that group is AB de Villiers (RCB/DC), striking at 151.69.
Kohli also leads for hundreds with 9, and his 68 fifties are the most in the table. Jos Buttler (RR/GT) is next with 7 hundreds. Chris Gayle (RCB/PBKS) and Rahul have 6 each. Gayle’s 175* is the highest score on the list; see the full IPL highest individual scores for more.
MS Dhoni (CSK/Rising Pune Supergiant) is a different kind of run maker. He has 5,439 runs at 38.30 without a single hundred, because he usually batted lower down.
Most runs in one IPL season and the Orange Cap
No IPL season has topped Kohli’s 2016: 973 runs from 16 games, averaging 81.08. Shubman Gill (GT) is next with 890 in 2023, then Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) with 863 in 2022.
The Orange Cap table shows the leading run scorer each season. Warner owns it three times over (2015, 2017, 2019), a total no one else matches. Gayle (2011, 2012) and Kohli (2016, 2024) did it twice each. The 2008 leader, SE Marsh, appears under Punjab Kings, the current name of Kings XI Punjab.
V Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) topped 2026 with 776; no other Orange Cap holder shown came close to his strike rate of 237.31. Season by season detail sits on the Orange Cap list, and bowlers have their own most wickets in IPL page.
Questions about Most IPL runs
Who has scored the most runs in IPL history?
Kohli, the RCB opener, sits on 9,336. Nine hundreds and 68 fifties make up much of that. The next best, Rohit Sharma, has 7,329.
What are Virat Kohli's total runs in IPL?
Kohli has 9,336 IPL runs in the record book’s data, from 275 matches between 2008 and 2026. His highest score is 113* and his strike rate is 134.80.
Who scored the most runs in an IPL season?
Kohli again, thanks to his 973 in 2016. Shubman Gill’s 890 in 2023 and Jos Buttler’s 863 in 2022 are the next best seasons.
Who was the leading run scorer in IPL 2023?
Shubman Gill, playing for GT, made 890 that year across 17 games, averaging 59.33. In 2022 the leader was Jos Buttler of Rajasthan Royals with 863. See the IPL 2023 records for the full season.
What is the highest individual score in an IPL match?
Chris Gayle’s unbeaten 175 for RCB, made against Pune Warriors from 66 deliveries on 23 Apr 2013, still tops the list. As a team, Sunrisers Hyderabad hold the record with 287/3 versus RCB on 15 Apr 2024.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.