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The countdown for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has officially begun, the excitement is at an all-time high. The tournament starts from March 28,
with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in action against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
As teams finalize their game plans for the 2026 season, several monumental individual milestones are waiting to be breached. Scoring 4,000 career runs in the IPL is a massive achievement that highlights a player's consistency and longevity in the toughest T20 league in the world.
Here's a look at six players are closing in on 4000-run mark in this IPL 2026 season.
Manish Pandey (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Manish Pandey holds a special place in IPL history as the very first Indian player to score a century in the tournament back in 2009. Returning to the Kolkata Knight Riders, Pandey is a seasoned veteran who knows exactly how to pace an innings
Total IPL Matches: 174
Total IPL Runs: 3,942
Highest Score: 114*
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 58 runs
Sitting agonizingly close to the milestone, Pandey requires just 58 runs. If he gets adequate playtime at the top or middle order for KKR this season, fans can expect him to breeze past the 4,000-run mark in his first few appearances.
Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans)
Shubman Gill is widely regarded as the future of Indian batting and has already established himself as a modern-day IPL great. Opening the batting for the Gujarat Titans, Gill has a knack for scoring big runs with elegant, textbook cricketing shots.
Total IPL Matches: 118
Total IPL Runs: 3,866
Highest Score: 129
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 134 runs
With 3,866 runs under his belt at just 26 years old, Gill is rapidly climbing the all-time run-scoring charts. He only needs 134 runs to achieve 4,000 IPL runs, a target he will likely shatter within the first three or four matches of IPL 2026. He has scored 890 runs for Gujarat Titans in 2023 which is the second highest ever runs scored after Virat Kohli's record shattering 973 runs in 2016.
Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings)
A dynamic leader and an aggressive middle-order enforcer, Shreyas Iyer heads into IPL 2026 fresh off a massive Rs 26.75 crore auction acquisition by the Punjab Kings. Coming off a brilliant 2025 season where he scored over 600 runs, Iyer will be looking to dominate the spinners once again.
Total IPL Matches: 133
Total IPL Runs: 3,731
Highest Score: 97*
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 269 runs
Iyer needs 269 runs to conquer the 4,000-run mountain. Given his phenomenal recent form and guaranteed position in the top order for the Punjab Kings, crossing this milestone should be a straightforward task for him this year.
Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants)
There are very few sights in world cricket as entertaining as Rishabh Pant in full flow. The explosive wicketkeeper-batter moved to the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2025 season. Known for his audacious reverse sweeps and one-handed sixes, Pant is a genuine match-winner.
Total IPL Matches: 125
Total IPL Runs: 3,553
Highest Score: 128*
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 447 runs
Pant currently has 3,553 runs to his name. To reach 4,000 runs, he will need to score 447 runs during the IPL 2026 campaign. For a player who once scored 684 runs in a single season (2018), checking off this 447-run requirement is highly probable.
Quinton de Kock (Mumbai Indians)
South Africa's Quinton de Kock is one of the most destructive overseas openers in IPL history. After a solid stint with KKR in 2025, the southpaw powerhouse is back with the Mumbai Indians for 2026, a franchise where he previously won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020.
Total IPL Matches: 115
Total IPL Runs: 3,309
Highest Score: 140*
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 691 runs
De Kock needs a substantial 691 runs to hit the 4,000-run landmark this year. While accumulating nearly 700 runs in one season is incredibly difficult, de Kock's aggressive powerplay hitting means he always possesses the potential to have a massive, record-breaking tournament.
Ravindra Jadeja (Rajasthan Royals)
A true legend of the game, Ravindra Jadeja has been an IPL icon since the inaugural 2008 season. Now representing the Rajasthan Royals, the elite all-rounder brings unparalleled value with his left-arm spin, electric fielding, and lower-order finishing abilities.
Total IPL Matches: 254
Total IPL Runs: 3,260
Highest Score: 77*
Runs needed to reach 4000 IPL runs: 740 runs
Jadeja needs exactly 740 runs to reach 4,000 career IPL runs. Because he typically bats lower down the order and faces fewer deliveries, scoring 740 runs in a single season is highly unlikely. However, his contributions will undoubtedly remain vital to the Royals' success in IPL 2026.
