Nobody has scored more Indian Premier League runs than Virat Kohli. He has scored more than 8,500 runs, all in the service of one franchise, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. And, he is also the leading centurion in the history of the tournament. Since making his debut back in 2008, he has reached three figures eight times, one more than his nearest rival, Jos Buttler, the former England white ball captain.
One further back on the all-time list is a one-time team-mate of Kohli, Chris Gayle, the Jamaican, now retired from professional cricket.
Although Kohli has recently retired from test cricket, having quit the T20I format after India won the World Cup in 2024, he remains committed to the IPL and he is hoping that RCB can end their long wait for IPL success with him in the team. As comparisons continue to be drawn between modern-day batting greats, the debate around Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: Who is the Better Batsman remains one of the most hotly discussed topics in world cricket. But first, let’s talk about Kohli’s centuries in IPL!
Kohli Centuries in IPL
| Number | Year | Where | Opponent | Score | Balls | SR | Result |
| 1 | 2016 | Rajkot | Gujarat Lions | 100 * | 63 | 158.73 | Lost |
| 2 | 2016 | Bengaluru | Rising Pune Supergiant | 108 * | 58 | 186.20 | Won |
| 3 | 2016 | Bengaluru | Gujarat Lions | 109 | 55 | 198.18 | Won |
| 4 | 2016 | Bengaluru | Punjab Kings | 113 | 50 | 226.00 | Won |
| 5 | 2019 | Kolkata | Kolkata Knight Riders | 100 | 63 | 172.41 | Won |
| 6 | 2023 | Hyderabad | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 100 | 63 | 158.73 | Won |
| 7 | 2023 | Bengaluru | Gujarat Titans | 101 * | 61 | 165.57 | Lost |
| 8 | 2024 | Jaipur | Rajasthan Royals | 113* | 72 | 156.94 | Lost |
Key:
SR = Strike Rate
‘* = Not Out
Kohli’s IPL Centuries: A Match-by-Match Saga
Kohli’s performances in IPL 2016 will go down in the annals of history of the competition. No player, before or since, has scored as many runs in a single season – 973 – and four out of the seven centuries scored that year belonged to him. He also led RCB to their first final, only to suffer disappointment as they were beaten by the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 runs in front of their own fans in the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Read more: Top 10 Points About Virat Kohli
1. First IPL century – Opening his account
His first IPL century came against the Gujarat Lions in Rajkot on 24th April 2016. Kohli, as captain, won the toss and elected to bat first. Although he lost fellow opener Shane Watson early, and AB de Villiers, batting at number three, could only make 20, he found support from KL Rahul, and the pair shared an unbeaten stand of 121 for the third wicket. Rahul was 51 not out at the end, whilst Kohli was unbeaten on 100, He had faced 63 balls and struck one six and 11 fours, whilst his strike rate was 158.73.
That did not prove enough, though, as the Lions chased down the total with three balls and six wickets in hand, with all of their top four making solid contributions with the bat.
Kohli was named Player of the Match as a consolation.
Second IPL century – doubling up
His second IPL century came two weeks later against the Rising Pune Supergiant, and, on this occasion, there was a happier outcome for Kohli and his team. This time, Kohli elected to field first in front of his home fans in Bengaluru, and despite 74 from Ajinkya Rahane and a half century from Saurabh Tiwary, the Supergiant were restricted to 191/6 from their 20 overs.
Kohli and Rahul made a strong start to their reply putting on 94 for the first wicket. And when Rahul departed for 38, Kohli and Watson added another 46 together. There were still 52 needed when Watson was out in the 16th over, but Kohli took responsibility, dominated the strike and helped his team reach their target with three balls to face. He was undefeated at the end of 108, having faced 58 balls. He had struck seven sixes and eight fours, and his strike rate was 186.20.
Yet again, Kohli was named Player of the Match.
The third century – RCB fans enjoy a run fest
The RCB fans who turned up to watch their side play the Gujarat Lions on 14th May 2016 had a treat in store for them, as their side enjoyed a run fest with the bat. But, the afternoon did not start well, as, having been put into bat, they lost opener Chris Gayle early, out in the fourth over for just six. That brought the South African AB de Villiers out to the middle to join Kohli, and the pair proceeded to dominate the Lions’ bowling.
They put on 229 together for the second wicket, and although Kohli was out off the penultimate ball of the innings, he had still helped his side post an imposing 248/3 from their 20 overs.
De Villiers was unbeaten on 129 at the end, making off just 52 balls and including 12 sixes and ten fours. His strike rate was 248.07. Kohli’s contribution was a slightly more sedate 109. He had faced 55 balls, struck eight sixes and five fours with a strike rate of 198.18.
It remains the highest partnership for any wicket in T20 cricket history. It was also the first time that two batters had scored centuries in the same IPL match – and it was the second instance in a T20 game.
The Gujarat Lions could not match that, losing their last nine wickets for just 67 runs as they were bowled out for 104 in the 17th over. Chris Jordan took 4 – 11, and leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, whilst de Villiers continued his fine individual match by taking two catches.
Fourth IPL century – Kohli beats the weather and the Kings
Just four days after inflicting that defeat on the Lions, Kohli was at it again, with the Punjab Kings the victims this time. However, the match in Bengaluru almost did not happen. Rain delayed the start of play and, when it did get underway two hours late, it was reduced to 15 overs a side.
Undeterred though. Kohli and Chris Gayle shared an opening stand of 147 in 11 overs, and, when Gayle was out for 73, smashed off just 32 balls, Kohli continued the onslaught, until he was out at the end of the 14th over.
He had faced only 50 balls, but scored 113 – his joint highest IPL scores. His innings contained 8 sixes and 12 fours and his strike rate was 226.
Set 212 to win, rain again interrupted the Kings’ reply, and, when play was resumed, their target had been revised downwards to 203 off 14 overs. That proved an irrelevance as they got nowhere near it, instead stumbling to 120/9 and losing by 82 runs according to the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) methodology.
Fifth century – a three year hiatus
Neither Kohli nor RCB fans would have expected that it would be three more years before their captain reached three figures in an IPL match. But that long wait finally came to an end on April 19th 2019 when they travelled to Eden Gardens to play the Kolkata Knight Riders.
It was a high scoring match. The 416 runs scored remains the highest match aggregate for any game involving these two in the IPL.
Put into bat, Kohli did not have things easy to start with as he lost fellow opener Parthiv Patel early, whilst Akshdeep Nath, who came in at number three, also was out cheaply. But he found support from Moeen Ali, and the pair put on 90 for the third wicket until Ali was out for 68. Kohli, though, continued to lead from the front, until he was dismissed off the last ball of the innings, having reached 100 exactly.
It had taken him 58 balls, and his ton included four sixes and nine fours, whilst his strike rate was 172.41.
At 79/4 in their reply, KKR seemed on the verge of a comprehensive defeat, but Andre Russell and Nitish Rana scored a flurry of boundaries in the death overs to produce a thrilling finish. But Moeen Ali held his nerve when bowling in the final over conceding just 12, whilst running Russell out at the same time.
Sixth century – four years later
It took even longer, though, for Kohli to make his sixth test century, although it was then just three days later that he scored his seventh. Playing the Sunrisers Hyderabad away, it was a special day for Heinrich Klaasen, the South African. He scored his maiden IPL century for the Sunrisers who batted first and posted 186/5 from their 20 overs.
However, not to be outdone, Kohli, who had subsequently given up the RCB captaincy, shared an opening stand of 172 with the man who succeeded him in the job, another South African, Faf du Plessis. Kohli was the first to go, yet again out for exactly 100. He had faced 61 balls, struck four sixes and 12 fours, and his strike rate was 158,73.
Three balls later du Plessis followed him back to the pavilion, out for 71, but the pair had done their job, and RCB won the match by eight wickets, with four balls to spare.
The seventh century – repeating the trick
RCB’s next match was against the defending champions, the Gujarat Titans, and Kohli continued his form from the previous game, this time in front of his home fans.
The Titans winning the toss, chose to field first, but Kohli, carried his bat, finishing undefeated on 101. He had faced 61 balls, struck one six and 13 fours and finished with a strike rate of 165.57.
On this occasion, though, his efforts proved to be in vain, because the Titans had a centurion of their own in the shape of Shubman Gill, who made an unbeaten 104. He found valuable support from Vijay Shankar, and the Titans were able to chase down their target of 198 to win with six wickets and four balls in hand.
The eighth century – a last hurrah?
Kohli’s most recent century came in the 2024 edition of the IPL, and once more it was in a losing cause as RCB took on the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
Things had seemed to be going the Challengers way after they were invited to bat first. Kohli opened the batting with Du Plessis again, and they once more enjoyed a profitable partnership, putting on 125 for the first wicket before the South African was out at the end of the 14th over. Unfortunately, none of the batters that followed him in could reach double figures, and it was left to Kohli to drag his side to 183/3.
Once more he carried his bat, finishing undefeated on 113, and, in the process equalling his highest IPL score. But that was still his slowest century of the lot in terms of balls faced (72) and strike rate (156.94).
In the event he was eclipsed by Jos Buttler – his closest rival in terms of IPL centuries – who took just 58 balls to reach his own hundred, and who found able support in the form of his captain Sanju Samson. Their stand of 148 for the second wicket provided that platform that enabled the Royals to reach their target off the first ball of the final over.
Can he do it again?
Kohli continues to score runs in the IPL. He remains among the leading run scorers in the 2025 tournament, although even if RCB get to the final this year – and they are in the playoffs so that cannot be discounted – he is unlikely to secure his third Orange Cap. However, his highest score this year is 73 not out, whilst his average strike rate is the lowest among all the leading contenders. He remains a consistent performer – he has scored more half centuries than any other player this season, but the ability to convert one of those into three figure score seems to have deserted him.
He remains widely admired – particularly by fans of RCB, who consistently regarded him as one of the best chasers in the game, with his almost unparalleled ability to manage a run chase under pressure.
Kohli’s purple patch as far as the IPL is concerned was in 2016. He made four tons that year and finished the season with the Orange Cap after captaining RCB to the final of the IPL< only for them to lose to the Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, it would take him another three years to reach his next IPL century.
Four more seasons would elapse until s timing two more centuries were added to his tally in 2023, with his most recent coming in 2024 against the Rajasthan Royals. Time is running out for him to add to his account in the 2025 season.
In fact, there has been a drop off in his numbers in all forms of cricket as he has got older, and he went 16 months without reaching three figures before he managed it in the First Test against Australia in Perth at the start of the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
However, what happened in the rest of that series suggested a player in decline, increasingly vulnerable to short-pitched deliveries outside the off stump, with indications that his timing was a yard slower than in his pomp. Hand-eye coordination also tends to deteriorate with age.
It is also worth noting that, for all his individual brilliance, RCB remain among the franchises that have never won the IPL. One of the reasons for this is that, whilst they have always boated a strong batting line-up over the years, they have rarely had a bowling attack capable of matching that. And Kohli, who captained the franchise for many years, must take his fair share of the blame for this, as he would have had a say in selection decisions.
All that though could yet change in 2025, with RCB having reached the playoffs again.
Kohli compared to other leading IPL centurions
| Name | IPL innings | No. of centuries | Teams | Highest score |
| Virat Kohli | 264 | 8 | RCB | 113 |
| Jos Butler | 119 | 7 | GT/MI/RR | 124 |
| Chris Gayle | 141 | 6 | KKR/PBKS/RCB | 175 * |
| KL Rahul | 136 | 5 | DC/PBKS/LSG/RCB/SRH | 132 * |
| David Warner | 184 | 4 | DC/SRH | 126 |
| Shane Watson | 141 | 4 | CSK/RCB/RR | 117 * |
| Shubman Gill | 114 | 4 | GT/KKR | 129 |
Key:
CSK = Chennai Super Kings
DC = Delhi Capitals
GT = Gujarat Titans
KKR = Kolkata Knight Riders
LSG = Lucknow Super Giant
PBKS = Punjab Kings
RCB = Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RR = Rajasthan Royals
SRH = Sunrisers Hyderabad
It is worth noting that, whilst Kohli has scored the most IPL centuries, some of his nearest rivals have got there significantly faster than him. It has taken him 264 innings to reach eight centuries – he averages one every 33 innings. By comparison Buttler averages one every 17 innings, and Gayle 23.5.
Kohli’s legacy
Kohli’s legacy is already assured and he will go down in history as one of the greatest players the IPL has ever seen. It is highly unlikely that anybody will be able to match his total runs when he finally retires. However, his century record, which once looked unassailable, is now under threat from Buttler at least.
Englishman is two years younger, and though his IPL season is now over – the extension of the season caused by its temporary suspension means that his international commitments now take precedence – he will be back next year, and given he scores his IPL centuries substantially faster than Kohli, he has every chance of eventually overhauling him.
And Gayle, who still holds the record for the highest individual score in an IPL game might also have beaten his record had he played more games.
Whilst scoring an IPL century is an achievement in itself – few players manage it once, let alone eight times, it is not everything. It is worth remembering that on three of those occasions Kohli reached his ton, RCB went on to lose the match.
The bad news for IPL fans is that Kohli is unlikely to continue playing as long as stalwarts like MS Dhoni. He has previously hinted at moving abroad with his family, and, although he continues to play ODI cricket, his international involvement is winding down.
And there is also the desire to play in lucrative overseas franchise tournaments, something he is unable to do at present because of the BCCI rules.
RCB fans and even neutral supporters would dearly love him to bow out with another IPL century, but the odds are starting to increase against it.
FAQs
1. How many centuries has Virat Kohli scored in the IPL
Kohli has scored eight centuries in his IPL career. His current nearest challenger in terms of this benchmark is the former England white ball captain, Jos Buttler, who has made seven IPL tons, which is one more than Kohli’s one-time team-mate Chris Gayle. KL Rahul has five IPL centuries to his name. The Australian pair of David Warner, and Shane Watson comprise the cohort of players who have scored four, along with Shubman Gill, who has just been named India test captain.
2. In which year did Virat Kohli score his first IPL century
Kohli scored his first, second, third and fourth centuries in 2016. That is a single season record and he won the Orange Cap that year, awarded to the highest run scorer in the competition that year. He was also awarded it in 2024.
3. What was Virat Kohli’s highest score in an IPL century,
Kohli highest score has been 113, which he has managed on two occasions. In 2016, he made 113 off 50 balls in a match against the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed the Punjab Kings) in front of his home fans in Bengaluru. He made the same score, but this time he was unbeaten against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur in 2024. That century though was significantly slower than his first – it took him 72 balls and it was in a losing cause as well as his team still lost the match.
4. Which opponent has Virat Kohli scored the most centuries against in the IPL
The team that he has scored the most centuries against is the now defunct Gujarat Lions. The franchise was added to the league, along with Rising Pune Supergiant, as temporary replacements for the Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals, who were banned from the league in 2016 and 2017 because of the involvement of their owners in illegal betting activity.
In 2016, which was a golden year for Kohli – he scored 973 runs is a single season record for any player – he made four centuries, two of them against the Lions. He made an unbeaten 100 off 63 balls in a defeat in Rajkot, and then followed that up by making 109 off 55 balls in a victory in Bengaluru.
Kohli enjoys playing against teams from Gujarat. His seventh IPL century was scored against the Gujarat Titans, who succeeded the Lions as representatives of the State of Gujarat. He made an unbeaten 101 off 61 balls in a defeat in Bengaluru in 2023.
