In the fast-paced world of the IPL, every single run holds great value. Staying not out at the end of an innings is not just a number in the record book, it reflects calmness, focus, and the ability to finish under pressure. Players who manage to stay till the end often change the course of a match with their late contributions. From the finishing brilliance of MS Dhoni to the valuable knocks of Dinesh Karthik, not out innings have created some of the most memorable moments in the league. Let’s check out the list of top players who remained not out at the end of innings and why it is important.
Why ‘Not Out’ Matters in the IPL
Understanding the ‘Not Out’ statistic
In IPL, where every run matters, if an important player stays on the crease in death overs, he can make a big difference at the end of the innings. Many players have taken on this role for their teams. Players like MS Dhoni, who gained fame for his leadership, calmness, and perseverance throughout the innings. His ability to finish the game from any situation makes a massive difference for his side in the IPL.
MS Dhoni, as a finisher, did a massive job, as his side, Chennai Super Kings, has won 5 titles. CSK is the most successful side, having played the most finals in the IPL. And MS Dhoni, as a finisher on that side, made a huge difference in making CSK so successful.
Apart from MS Dhoni, Dinesh Kartik is the most experienced player in the IPL and has made crucial runs for his side in the death overs. Dinesh has played for various IPL franchises, primarily batting in the lower-middle order. Therefore, his contributions on various sides make him one of the top finishers in IPL.
The Role of Not Out Innings in T20 Cricket
Not being out in T20 cricket is important for a batter to boost his overall average. Examining MS Dhoni’s records, his IPL average is 38.30. Rohit Sharma, the second-highest run scorer in IPL, has played almost an equal number of innings in the IPL and has an average of 29.73. This is all because MS Dhoni mostly finished the game for his side in the IPL, which boosted his overall average.
On the other hand, Dinesh Kartik, who has an average of 26.31, has almost 2000 runs difference with Rohit Sharma. So, staying till the end of an innings impacts the overall average of a batter. So, it is a significant overall benefit for a batter in their batting records. Additionally, IPL is so fast-paced, and every run is crucial; scoring runs in the death overs becomes increasingly risky.
But batters like MS Dhoni and Dinesh Kartik handled that pressure so well and scored freely in that situation. In chasing this thing, it is very important for a team that its batters stay at the plate for a long time. So, in IPL in high run chases, players like MS Dhoni create pressure on the bowling side. So, rather than staying pressurized, MS Dhoni remains cool and calm, playing according to the conditions.
Therefore, in IPL teams heavily invest in players who hit crucial runs in death overs. Besides these two Indians, Andre Russell, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Hardik Pandya are the prominent names to watch in the death overs for their sides.
Most Not Out in IPL History: The Record Holders
Top Players with Most Not Outs
Not being out in an IPL game is crucial for scoring runs at the back end of the innings. Suppose a batter can hit a few boundaries in the final overs. These runs create a massive impact on the game. Let’s check out the list of top players with the most not-outs in IPL in successful run chases.
| Rank | Player | Not-Outs | Primary Teams |
| 1 | MS Dhoni | 100 | CSK; RPS |
| 2 | Ravindra Jadeja | 80 | CSK; GL; KTK; RR |
| 3 | Kieron Pollard | 52 | MI |
| 4 | Dinesh Karthik | 50 | DC,PBKS, MI, KKR, RCB, GL |
| 5 | David Miller | 49 | PBKS; RR; GT |
MS Dhoni is leading the list, with no surprise, with the greatest number of not-outs in IPL history. His crucial contributions in death overs mostly win games for his side. Therefore, MS Dhoni has played 11 IPL finals in his entire career. It is the most IPL finals played by any player.
Ravindra Jadeja is 2nd on the list of not-outs at the end of the innings. He was not out 80 times in his IPL career. And surprisingly, he has played 2nd most IPL finals. Ravindra Jadeja has participated in the 8th IPL final games in his entire career.
No one can forget his innings of IPL 2023, where he scored 10 runs on the last two balls of the IPL 2023 finals against Mohit Sharma. That innings showed that Jadeja has strong nerves and has learnt a lot from MS Dhoni in CSK.
Year-by-Year Leaders in Not Out Innings
| Rank | Player | Teams | Not-Outs |
| 1 | MS Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant(s) | 31 |
| 2 | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Rajasthan Royals | 27 |
| 3 | Dinesh Karthik | Delhi Daredevils, Gujarat Lions, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, RCB/Bengaluru | 24 |
| 4 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore/Bengaluru | 23 |
| 5 | David Miller | Gujarat Titans, Kings XI Punjab, Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals | 23 |
| 6 | Yusuf Pathan | Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad | 22 |
| 7 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions, Mumbai Indians | 20 |
| 8 | AB de Villiers | Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore | 19 |
| 9 | Suresh Raina | Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions | 19 |
| 10 | Rohit Sharma | Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians | 19 |
| 11 | Hardik Pandya | Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians | 17 |
| 12 | Kieron Pollard | Mumbai Indians | 17 |
| 13 | Shikhar Dhawan | Deccan Chargers, Delhi Capitals/Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad | 16 |
| 14 | Gautam Gambhir | Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders | 16 |
| 15 | Shreyas Iyer | Delhi Capitals/Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings | 15 |
This list shows that many important players have delivered excellent performances, playing until the last ball of their batting innings. In this list, Shikhar Dhawan’s name shows his class and skills as a batter. Coming as an opener and finishing 16 innings with his batting is a very tough job to do. However, Shikhar consistently delivered magnificent performances with the bat, playing for various franchises.
Rohit Sharma’s name is no surprise, but his skills and abilities make him able to score runs till the last ball. With such a batting record, he is the first captain to lift five titles of the IPL. Another name in this list is Virat Kohli. There are a few batting records in IPL that do not have the name of Virat Kohli. The great batter is known for his brilliant ability to chase any big total.
Gautam Gambhir is another name on this list who has successfully chased the target without being out 16 times. Shreyas Iyer is a young and emerging player in this list. In a short period, he has etched his name in the legends of IPL. His records are proof that he is the only captain to win with three different franchises.
Stories Behind the Numbers
Iconic ‘Not Out’ Performances in IPL
Not being out is not just an individual record, but it is a massive responsibility for a player to take his side to a respectable total or chase a total. In 18 editions of the IPL, there have been many innings that have created a massive impact on the game.
In the IPL 2009 final, Herschelle Gibbs played a superb innings of 53 runs on 48 balls. This innings was slow but gave Decan Charges a target to chase. And in the Chase, Royal Challengers Bangalore could not chase that target. And Decan Charges lifted its first IPL title.
In the IPL 2010 final, Suresh Raina remained not out and scored an important 57 runs on 37 balls for CSK. His crucial runs with the bat gave CSK a good total to defend. Due to important innings, CSK lifted its first-ever title.
Kieron Pollard played a crucial innings of 60 runs on just 32 balls and returned not out at the end of the innings. His innings was so important for the Mumbai Indians at that time. With an important 60 runs from Kieron Pollard, the Mumbai Indians were able to lift their first IPL title.
In IPL 2016, Virat Kohli played an important knock against the Delhi Capitals. This game was very crucial for Royal Challengers Bangalore to reach the playoffs. Virat Kohli scored 54 runs on 45 balls and won that important game for his side. Royal Challengers Bangalore played the final of IPL 2016.
In the IPL 2023 final, Ravindra Jadeja played an important innings of 15 runs on just six balls. Ravindra Jadeja came when CSK needed 21 runs in 2 overs. CSK needed 10 runs in the last two balls of the IPL 2023 final. Jadeja scored 10 runs with six and four and made CSK the 5th time IPL Champions.
This innings was short, but it had a significant impact on CSK’s journey in IPL 2023. There have been many innings played in the IPL that came at a crucial time, and the batter remained not out at the end of the game.
Surprising Names on the List
No player is deserving of being on this list. Every player has the skills and abilities to fulfill the demands and requirements of the situation, enabling them to finish the game for their side. For example, Virat Kohli primarily bats in the top three order. But his playing style and brilliant ability to chase the target make him a good fit for this list.
Just like him, Rohit Sharma mostly relies on his power-hitting ability rather than timing and technique. His power-hitting gives him a chance to stay not-out at the end of the innings. Shikhar Dhawan is an experienced player with a brilliant mixture of Power and technique. With calm exposure, Dhawan makes his side win the games by not being out at one end.
Shreyas Iyer is a well-deserved player in this list. He has almost 10 years of experience in IPL. Therefore, he is well-versed in the situation, and his records and achievements serve as proof of that. These players mostly play in the top order, but players like MS Dhoni, Jadeja, and Hardik Pandya mostly play in the lower order.
They get fewer balls to score more runs. But they overcome the risk and score big runs with their power-hitting and solid technique. Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja are always the core players of MI and CSK, respectively. These four players are well-deserved names in this list. Due to their late power-hitting, MI and CSK have both won 5 IPL titles.
Another important and famous name in this list is AB de Villiers. He played crucial knocks for RCB in IPL by staying not out at one end. His creative shots and skills give AB de Villiers a massive advantage to score runs freely in the death overs of the game. Unfortunately, AB De Villiers never lifted the IPL title. But his batting performances for RCB make him one of the top middle-order batters for this side.
Conclusion
Staying not out at one end is not just an individual record. It is a massive opportunity for a player to stay till the end and get valuable runs. Therefore, players like MS Dhoni, Dinesh Kartik, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja won valuable games for their side. Especially in knock-out games, there is huge responsibility on the player who can score big runs in death overs. This task becomes more difficult for a batter if he has no genuine batter on the other end. Because he must score runs and keep his wicket safe until the last ball, these factors make a valuable addition for a batter who mostly stays not-out at the end of the innings.
FAQs
1. Who has the most not-outs in IPL history
MS Dhoni is leading the chart for the most time not being out.
2 How many not-outs does MS Dhoni have in the IPL
MS Dhoni has 100 not-outs in IPL.
3 Which IPL season has the most not-out innings
In IPL 2018, MS Dhoni had nine not-out innings.
