18 Years of IPL Glory: Kohli’s 8,252 Runs Lead, Chahal Tops with 211 Wickets

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is celebrating its 18th birthday. This tournament, which revolutionized cricket and changed the landscape of the game forever. The start of the league was no less dramatic. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)'s Brendon McCullum created a stir by scoring an unforgettable 158 * runs with the help of ten fours and thirteen sixes in just 73 balls.

18 years of IPL Glory

That one innings announced the arrival of the festival of cricket. As the league is in its 18th season, Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in IPL history. Representing just one franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kohli has scored 8,252 runs in 258 matches, including eight centuries and 58 half-centuries.

Shikhar Dhawan is at number two
Unlike Kohli, Dhawan has played for five franchises. These include Mumbai Indians (MI), Deccan Chargers (DC), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Punjab Kings (PBKS).

He has played for two teams, Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians, and has won trophies with both teams, cementing his status as one of the league's most successful players.

At fifth place on this list is former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend Suresh Raina, who is now retired. Raina scored 5,528 runs in 205 matches and also represented Gujarat Lions during CSK's brief suspension from the league.

Most wickets in Chahal's name
Talking about bowling, Yuzvendra Chahal leads the charts with 211 wickets in 166 matches. His IPL journey started with Mumbai Indians, but it was in RCB where he really flourished. Later, he represented Rajasthan Royals. In the auction, Punjab Kings added him to their team for Rs 18 crore.

Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is in second place with 192 wickets in 192 matches. Chawla, a two-time IPL winner, scored the winning runs in KKR's 2012 final and was also part of CSK's victorious 2021 team. He has also played for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Mumbai Indians.

Third on the list is KKR veteran Sunil Narine. Since joining the franchise in 2012, Narine has been a game-changer with both bat and ball. He played a key role in KKR's title wins in 2012, when he took 24 wickets, and in 2014, when he took 21 wickets.

Naren changed the game
In 2024, Narine had a stellar season, scoring 488 runs and taking 17 wickets, helping KKR win their third IPL title. Overall, Narine has taken 187 wickets in 183 games. He was also named the Most Valuable Player of the season three times (2012, 2018, 2024).

Swing specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also taken 187 wickets in 181 matches. He has won the Purple Cap twice while playing for RCB, Pune Warriors India and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ravichandran Ashwin is in the top five with 185 wickets in 218 matches.