Most Runs in One IPL Season: The Full Top 10 List
All stats below are verified from ESPNcricinfo records, official IPL stats pages, and official player profiles. Source: (ESPN Cricinfo)
|
Rank |
Player |
Team |
Season |
Runs |
Innings |
Avg |
SR |
100s |
50s |
|
1 |
Virat Kohli |
RCB |
2016 |
973 |
16 |
81.08 |
152.03 |
4 |
7 |
|
2 |
Shubman Gill |
GT |
2023 |
890 |
17 |
59.33 |
157.80 |
3 |
4 |
|
3 |
Jos Buttler |
RR |
2022 |
863 |
17 |
57.53 |
149.05 |
4 |
4 |
|
4 |
David Warner |
SRH |
2016 |
848 |
17 |
60.57 |
151.42 |
0 |
9 |
|
5 |
Sai Sudharsan |
GT |
2025 |
759 |
15 |
54.21 |
156.17 |
1 |
6 |
|
6 |
Virat Kohli |
RCB |
2024 |
741 |
15 |
61.75 |
154.69 |
1 |
5 |
|
7 |
Kane Williamson |
SRH |
2018 |
735 |
17 |
52.50 |
142.44 |
0 |
8 |
|
8 |
Chris Gayle |
RCB |
2012 |
733 |
14 |
61.08 |
160.74 |
1 |
7 |
|
8 |
Michael Hussey |
CSK |
2013 |
733 |
17 |
52.35 |
129.50 |
0 |
6 |
|
10 |
Faf du Plessis |
RCB |
2023 |
730 |
14 |
56.15 |
153.68 |
0 |
8 |
Updated after IPL 2025. IPL 2026 records should be added only after the season ends.
Who Has Scored the Most Runs in IPL in One Season?
Virat Kohli. By a significant distance.
His 973 runs in IPL 2016 is the highest individual batting tally in a single IPL season. The next closest is Shubman Gill with 890 runs in IPL 2023 — a gap of 83 runs. Kohli is also the only batter in IPL history to cross the 900-run mark in a single season.
That is not a record that is likely to fall easily.
Why Kohli’s 973-Run Record Still Looks Untouchable
Years have passed since IPL 2016. The IPL has grown. Batting has evolved. Strike rates have gone up. And yet, nobody has crossed 900 runs in a single season since Kohli did it.Here is why:
- Consistency is the hardest thing to maintain in T20 cricket. Kohli crossed 50 in 11 of 16 innings. That kind of sustained output across an entire tournament requires everything — form, fitness, luck, and mental strength — to align perfectly over two months.
- Four centuries in a season is almost unheard of. Only Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler have scored four centuries in a single IPL season. Getting to four means not just hitting big scores, but converting starts repeatedly.
- The pressure of captaincy adds another layer. Kohli was RCB’s captain in 2016. He was carrying the team’s batting, making tactical decisions, and still scoring nearly 1,000 runs.
- He did it while every bowling attack planned specifically for him. By 2016, Kohli was already one of the best batters in the world. Every team knew he was the wicket they had to get. He still scored 973 runs.
- T20 cricket is inherently volatile. One bad shot, one freak dismissal, one brilliant catch can end an innings. Kohli navigated all of that across 16 matches and produced the greatest batting season in IPL history.
Players Who Could Challenge the Record
Nobody has seriously threatened 973 since 2016. But a few batters have the game to make a run at it.
- Shubman Gill is the most likely candidate. He scored 890 in IPL 2023 and came within 83 runs of the record. He is technically sound, consistent, and plays long innings without slowing down.
- Jos Buttler showed in 2022 that he can produce four centuries in a season. If his timing and form align, and his team goes deep into the knockouts, he can challenge again.
- Virat Kohli himself came back with 741 runs in 2024. He is still capable. His 2016 level of consistency is the question mark.
- Sai Sudharsan has now entered the conversation after his 759-run Orange Cap season in IPL 2025. His combination of consistency and improving strike rate makes him one of the strongest future challengers.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal has the explosiveness and appetite to put together a monster season. His aggressive approach at the top of the order means if he gets on a roll, the runs can come very quickly.
The challenge for any of these batters is the same: your team needs to go deep. Kohli played 16 matches in 2016 because RCB reached the final. More matches means more opportunities.
Orange Cap Winners With the Highest Season Totals
This table shows the highest season totals from the IPL Orange Cap winners list, updated after IPL 2025.
|
Season |
Player |
Team |
Runs |
|
2016 |
Virat Kohli |
RCB |
973 |
|
2023 |
Shubman Gill |
GT |
890 |
|
2022 |
Jos Buttler |
RR |
863 |
|
2025 |
Sai Sudharsan |
GT |
759 |
|
2024 |
Virat Kohli |
RCB |
741 |
|
2018 |
Kane Williamson |
SRH |
735 |
|
2012 |
Chris Gayle |
RCB |
733 |
|
2013 |
Michael Hussey |
CSK |
733 |
|
2019 |
David Warner |
SRH |
692 |
|
2020 |
KL Rahul |
PBKS |
670 |
|
2014 |
Robin Uthappa |
KKR |
660 |
|
2017 |
David Warner |
SRH |
641 |
|
2021 |
Ruturaj Gaikwad |
CSK |
635 |
|
2010 |
Sachin Tendulkar |
MI |
618 |
|
2008 |
Shaun Marsh |
KXIP |
616 |
|
2011 |
Chris Gayle |
RCB |
608 |
|
2009 |
Matthew Hayden |
CSK |
572 |
|
2015 |
David Warner |
SRH |
562 |