Virat Kohli has been one of the most dominant figures in world cricket and a defining force in the history of the Indian Premier League. Over the years,
he has transformed batting standards with his consistency, aggression, and hunger for runs.
Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, having scored more than 9,000 runs in the tournament. He is also the only player to have represented a single franchise throughout every IPL season, remaining loyal to Royal Challengers Bengaluru since the league began in 2008. RCB signed him shortly after he led India to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, and the franchise has retained him ever since.
He holds several major IPL records, including the most centuries in the tournament (eight) and the most runs scored in a single season, 973 runs in the 2016 edition, a record that still stands today. Kohli has also won the Orange Cap twice, first in 2016 and again in 2024, underlining his consistency across different eras of the competition.
Kohli captained RCB full-time from 2013 to 2021 and guided the team to the IPL final in 2016, where they finished runners-up against Sunrisers Hyderabad. His performances that season are widely regarded as one of the greatest batting campaigns in T20 cricket history.
Another memorable chapter came in 2025, when RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy, with Kohli once again playing a leading role. In the current season as well, he has continued his remarkable form, scoring over 600 runs and delivering crucial performances for the franchise in pressure situations.
Ranked: Virat Kohli's IPL journey (2008-2026)
| IPL | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s | Rank |
| 2016 | 16 | 973 | 81.08 | 152.03 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| 2025 | 15 | 657 | 54.75 | 144.71 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 | 15 | 741 | 61.75 | 154.69 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 2013 | 16 | 634 | 45.28 | 138.73 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| 2026 | 15 | 600 | 50.00 | 164.38 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 2023 | 14 | 639 | 53.25 | 139.82 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2011 | 16 | 557 | 46.41 | 121.08 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 2018 | 14 | 530 | 48.18 | 139.10 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 2015 | 16 | 505 | 45.90 | 130.82 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| 2020/21 | 15 | 466 | 42.36 | 121.35 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 2019 | 14 | 464 | 33.14 | 141.46 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 2021 | 15 | 405 | 28.92 | 119.46 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| 2017 | 10 | 308 | 30.80 | 122.22 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
| 2014 | 14 | 359 | 27.61 | 122.10 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
| 2012 | 16 | 364 | 28.00 | 111.65 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| 2009/10 | 16 | 307 | 27.90 | 144.81 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| 2022 | 16 | 341 | 22.73 | 115.98 | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| 2009 | 13 | 246 | 22.36 | 112.32 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| 2007/08 | 13 | 165 | 15.00 | 105.09 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
