New Delhi: The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a week away, and the excitement level is increasing with every passing day. IPL 2026
will kick off on March 28 with the blockbuster clash between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and 2016 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The return of cricket’s biggest festival will also mark the return of stalwarts, who have graced the big stage of the T20 extravaganza in every season since its inception in 2008.
The rare category of cricketers features four players, and all of them will continue their remarkable journey for the 19th successive year in IPL 2026.
So, who are the only four players to play in every IPL season since 2008?
Virat Kohli
Legendary batter Virat Kohli is the rarest in the rare category, having featured in every IPL season since 2008, that too with only one franchise.
Kohli is the only cricketer on the list to represent only one team in his entire IPL career, having played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from 2008 to 2025. He has been a symbol of hope for the Bengaluru-based franchise, which has endured a rollercoaster journey in the last 18 seasons.
Virat Kohli and RCB finally ended a 17-year title drought by winning the IPL 2026. (Getty Images)
Despite promising a lot in several seasons and the best efforts of Kohli, RCB failed to win the title for 17 seasons. But their title drought was finally over in 2025 as Kohli deservedly got his hands on the coveted trophy after enduring heartbreak after heartbreak for 17 seasons.
The undisputed icon of RCB, Kohli holds multiple franchise records, including most runs (8,661+), most centuries (8), and most matches played for the franchise. In his most prolific season in IPL 2026, Kohli scored a record 973 runs, including 4 centuries, an aggregate which remains the highest in a single IPL season.
With the title curse finally broken, Kohli is gunning for more glory in IPL 2026.
MS Dhoni
Dhoni is another iconic name in the list of players who have played every IPL season. Dhoni would have also been a one-team man but for the Chennai Super Kings’ suspension in 2016 and 2017, when he represented the Rising Pune Supergiants.
When CSK bought Dhoni in the inaugural IPL auction after witnessing him lift the 2007 T20 World Cup title, not even they would have imagined the impact he would make. 19 years after the landmark deal, a Jharkhand youngster has turned out to be one of the most celebrated icons in Chennai, even bigger than some of the local legends.
MS Dhoni is a household name in Chennai, 19 years after he was appointed as CSK captain. (Getty Images)
In his 16-year association with CSK, Dhoni has led the Yellow Army to five IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) and, with them, countless fond memories.
At 44, Dhoni is way past his prime, and while his playing powers have waned due to obvious reasons, his experience, knowledge and pedigree would be key for CSK to regain IPL glory.
Rohit Sharma
Another icon in the list goes by the name Rohit Sharma, or more appropriately, ‘The Hitman’. Rohit is not only one of the few players to play in every IPL season, but also to win IPL titles with two different franchises
The young Mumbaikar first caught impression by playing a key role in the Deccan Chargers’ title-winning campaign in IPL 2008. Two years later, he was bought by the Mumbai Indians, and the rest is history.
Fate played a big role in his unprecedented success at the Mumbai-based franchise after he replaced Ricky Ponting as the captain of the side mid-season in 2013. The former Australian captain stepped down from the role after a slump in his batting form, subsequently handing the leadership role to Rohit, who, remarkably, led the team to its first IPL title.
Rohit Sharma has led the Mumbai Indians in five title-winning IPL campaigns. (Getty Images)
He would go on to win four more IPL titles as Mumbai Indians captain in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 and become the most successful captain in IPL history for three years before Dhoni joined him in 2023 with his fifth title as skipper.
Retired from T20 internationals, Rohit will play under the leadership of Hardik Pandya in IPL 2026 and will look to continue making an impact as a season batter in the Mumbai Indian’s quest to regain the IPL title.
Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey is the fourth and final player in the rare list of players to feature in IPL since its inception. Pandey rose to fame in the second season of IPL in 2009 after becoming the first Indian to score an IPL century (114* for RCB vs Deccan Chargers).
Manish Pandey has played for seven franchises since making his debut in IPL 2008. (Getty Images)
While he showed a lot of promise in the coming seasons, Pandey failed to build on the success, resulting in him switching multiple sides over the years. Overall, he has represented seven franchises in IPL, scoring 3,942 runs in 174 IPL matches in the past 18 editions.
Following his deal with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the mini-auction, IPL 2026 will be the 35-year-old Karnataka batter’s 19th season and, in all probability, his last, unless he turns back the clock to the 2009 edition.
