Most century partnerships in IPL history now belong to Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. The Gujarat Titans openers left every great pair of the past behind during IPL 2026 and finished the season with 11 stands of 100 runs or more. Their 167 run opening stand against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on 29 May 2026 took them clear of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, whose 10 century stands had been the IPL record since 2020. A century partnership means two batters add 100 runs or more together before the stand ends. It is one of the clearest signs of batting dominance in T20 cricket. Below is the full ranked list of the pairs with the most 100 run stands in the IPL from 2008 to 2026, the biggest stand of each pair, and the story of how this record changed hands.
Most Century Partnerships in IPL Overview
A quick look at the record before the full list.
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Record holders | Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan |
| Century partnerships | 11 |
| Team | Gujarat Titans |
| Seasons together | 2022 to 2026 |
| Record setting stand | 167 vs Rajasthan Royals, Qualifier 2, 29 May 2026 |
| Previous record | 10 by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers for Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
Top Pairs with the Most Century Partnerships in IPL
Eight pairs have reached five or more century partnerships in IPL history. Here they are in order.
| Rank | Pair | Team | Century Partnerships | Highest Stand | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 167 vs Rajasthan Royals, 2026 | 2022 to 2026 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 10 | 229 vs Gujarat Lions, 2016 | 2013 to 2020 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 9 | 204 not out vs Delhi Daredevils, 2012 | 2011 to 2017 |
| 4 | Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 6 | 139 vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2017 | 2014 to 2017 |
| 5 | Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 6 | 171 vs Punjab Kings, 2025 | 2024 to 2026 |
| 6 | David Warner and Jonny Bairstow | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 185 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 2019 | 2019 to 2021 |
| 7 | Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa | Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 121 vs Rajasthan Royals, 2014 | 2014 to 2016 |
| 8 | Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 5 | 172 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2023 | 2022 to 2024 |
Knocking on the door of this list are KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, who shared four century partnerships for Punjab with more than 1300 runs together at an average above 56.
Record History
The early years of the IPL produced huge one off stands but no pair kept repeating them. Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist added 206 for Kings XI Punjab in 2011. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli added 204 not out for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Delhi Daredevils in 2012. That was one of what became nine century stands for the RCB pair between 2011 and 2017, which stood as the benchmark for years.
Then came the Kohli and de Villiers years. Their 215 not out against Mumbai Indians in 2015 and 229 against Gujarat Lions in 2016 remain the two highest partnerships in IPL history, and they are the only pair with two 200 plus stands in the league. Both of these stands sit at the top of our list of the highest partnerships by wicket in IPL. Five of their ten century stands came in 2016 alone, the most by any pair in a single edition.
On 12 October 2020 at Sharjah, Kohli and de Villiers added 100 off 47 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders and became the first pair in IPL history to share ten century partnerships. The record stayed with them for more than five years.
The Gujarat Titans pair changed everything in IPL 2026. Gill and Sudharsan had already posted 210 against Chennai Super Kings in 2024 and 205 not out against Delhi Capitals in 2025. In 2026 they recorded their tenth century stand against Chennai Super Kings to draw level with Kohli and de Villiers, then their eleventh in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. That 167 run opening stand came in a chase of 215 and took Gujarat to the final. It is also the highest partnership in IPL playoff history, and Gill’s hundred in that game was his fifth in the IPL. Big hundreds at fast scoring rates are their own record category, see most centuries with 100 plus strike rate in an IPL season.
They reached 11 century stands in only 48 innings, a rate of one every 4.36 innings. For comparison, Gayle and Kohli needed 63 innings for ten, and de Villiers and Kohli needed 77. You can read our full verdict on the season in our IPL 2026 report card rating every team’s season performance.
| Season | Record Mark | Holders |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9 century stands | Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2020 | 10 century stands | Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2026 | 11 century stands | Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, Gujarat Titans |
What This Record Tells Us
Opening pairs rule this list. Seven of the eight pairs opened the batting together. De Villiers and Kohli are the exception, a middle order batter combining with an opener, which makes their ten stands even more remarkable.
Time together matters more than raw power. De Villiers and Kohli batted together across seven seasons. Gill and Sudharsan have played together since the Titans’ first season and reached 11 stands quicker than any pair in T20 history. Trust built over seasons turns good pairs into record pairs.
Century stands win matches. Gujarat’s 2026 run was built on this pair: 886 runs together in the season with four century stands. When both openers fire, the rest of the batting order can play with freedom.
One club can produce many great pairs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have three pairs in the top eight and Sunrisers Hyderabad have three as well. All three RCB pairs involve Kohli, which tells you how central one world class batter can be to a team’s partnership culture.
Breaking 11 will be very hard. It needs two top order batters staying at the same franchise for years, staying fit, and staying in form, all while the auction cycle keeps pulling squads apart. Gujarat will be desperate to keep both openers together at the IPL 2027 auction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record for the most century partnerships in IPL?
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan hold the record with 11 century partnerships for Gujarat Titans, set during IPL 2026. Their eleventh came in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals on 29 May 2026.
How many century partnerships do Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have together?
Ten. They became the first pair in IPL history to reach ten century partnerships on 12 October 2020 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Sharjah. Their stand of 229 against Gujarat Lions in 2016 is the highest partnership in IPL history.
What is the highest partnership in IPL history?
229 runs by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Lions on 14 May 2016. Both batters scored hundreds in that innings. Their 215 not out against Mumbai Indians in 2015 is the second highest.
Which pair has the most century stands for the opening wicket?
Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, with eight century stands for the opening wicket, which is the joint most by any pair in men’s T20 cricket. In IPL history, David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan reached six opening century stands, a mark Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma equalled in 2026.
How many century partnerships did Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli share?
Nine, for Royal Challengers Bengaluru between 2011 and 2017. Their highest was 204 not out against Delhi Daredevils in 2012. They scored 2787 runs together as a pair.
Which teams have the most pairs in the top eight?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad have three pairs each. RCB’s pairs are de Villiers and Kohli, Gayle and Kohli, and du Plessis and Kohli. Hyderabad’s pairs are Warner and Dhawan, Warner and Bairstow, and Head and Abhishek. Gujarat Titans have the record holding pair of Gill and Sudharsan.
Partnership numbers cross checked against the official IPL website and published IPL statistics. Statistics updated through: 9 October 2026
