When Brendon McCullum scored a century on 18th April 2008, in the first-ever IPL game, it gave us a glimpse of what was in store! Over the years, the Indian Premier League has seen many swashbuckling innings with batsmen making most of the smaller boundaries and batting-friendly pitches. The knocks have left the fans in awe just like these online betting offers.
While there have been many players who dominated a season or two, there have been batsmen who have performed consistently throughout and have climbed the batting charts. In this article, we will take a look at the top five of them:
- Virat Kohli (RCB): With 7263 runs in 237 games, Kohli is far ahead of the rest when it comes to the top run-getters in IPL. He has been a part of the league ever since its inception in 2008, playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Although the team has never tasted title success, Kohli’s consistent performances with the bat have ensured that they are always in the reckoning. The former India captain has scored 50 fifties and has a record 7 centuries against his name. He even won the Orange Cap in 2016 – a year in which he scored as many as 4 centuries.
- Shikhar Dhawan (DC/MI/PBKS/SRH): With 6617 runs in 217 games, Dhawan has been consistently performing well at the top of the order, helping his respective franchise build a solid foundation. Gabbar, as he is fondly called, has registered 50 fifties and a couple of centuries in the league. He has also scored a record 750 boundaries. The former India opener likes to get his eye in and score big, laying a platform for the lower-order batsmen to go for the kill at the end. He is one of the most important cogs in the Punjab Kings’ wheel.
- David Warner (DC/SRH): With 6397 runs in 176 games, Warner is the only non-Indian batsman in the list. Warner likes to dominate the bowling and put the opposition on the back foot. He is equally good against pace as well as spin. The Australian has an astonishing average of 41.54 and an impressive strike rate that’s close to 140. He also has 4 hundreds and a record 60 fifties to his name. He also has the distinction of winning the Orange Cap thrice – in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
- Rohit Sharma: (DC/MI): With 6211 runs in 243 games, Rohit Sharma has played many captain’s knocks for the Mumbai Indians. Not to forget the valuable contributions he has made to the Deccan Chargers. Thanks to his effortless striking ability, the Hitman has scored a mammoth 257 sixes in the league. He even has a century to his name, along with 42 fifties. Now that he has been relieved of the captaincy duties, it’ll be interesting to see if Rohit plays more freely and aggressively.
- Suresh Raina (CSK/GL): With 5528 runs in 205 games, Raina has been a consistent performer for CSK in the middle order. Despite batting lower down the order, the left-hander has a century to his name, along with 39 fifties. He has an impressive strike rate of 136.76 – numbers that prove his finishing capabilities. A solid striker of the ball, Raina has hit more than 200 sixes and 500 fours in his IPL The day he retired, the Yellow Army felt as if he had left a void in the CSK middle order.
Along with winning matches for their respective teams, these batsmen have even won the hearts of cricketing fans with some exquisite stroke play and unwavering concentration.
Cover Photo: IPL
Note: Newskarnataka advises its readers to consult experts / professionals and research further on this subject, be aware of the risks involved, and comply with all locally applicable laws and regulations in this regard.
