Sai Sudharsan holds the highest batting average in IPL history at 48.37. The Gujarat Titans opener has scored 2515 runs in 57 innings with 3 hundreds and 20 fifties, and he is the only batter in the league with a career average above 47. Batting average rewards consistency, and no one in IPL history has combined volume scoring with reliability quite like him.
KL Rahul sits second at 46.15, built over 150 innings and 5815 runs. Behind him come a mix of young stars and veterans. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi averages 44.70 in a short but explosive career, Hashim Amla averaged 44.38 in his brief IPL stint, and Devon Conway averages 43.20. Heinrich Klaasen, David Warner, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli complete a top list where every name is still active or recently retired.
This page lists the top 10 batters by career average, traces how the record moved from the early seasons to today, and answers the most asked questions about the number.
Highest Batting Average in IPL Overview
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Record holder | Sai Sudharsan |
| Batting average | 48.37 |
| Runs | 2515 |
| Innings | 57 |
| Team | Gujarat Titans |
| Standout season | 2025, 759 runs at 54.21 with the Orange Cap |
Sudharsan debuted for Gujarat Titans in 2022 and has passed 500 runs in three straight seasons from 2024 to 2026 while keeping his strike rate above 140 each year. Only Chris Gayle has matched that combination of volume and pace over three seasons. The left hander became only the fourth batter in IPL history to score a fifty against every opponent he has faced.
Top 10 Batters with the Highest Batting Average in IPL
| Rank | Player | Team | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sai Sudharsan | GT | 57 | 2515 | 48.37 | 149.17 |
| 2 | KL Rahul | DC | 150 | 5815 | 46.15 | 139.15 |
| 3 | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | RR | 23 | 1028 | 44.70 | 228.95 |
| 4 | Hashim Amla | PBKS | 16 | 577 | 44.38 | 141.77 |
| 5 | Devon Conway | CSK | 28 | 1080 | 43.20 | 139.72 |
| 6 | Heinrich Klaasen | SRH | 60 | 2104 | 42.08 | 166.72 |
| 7 | David Warner | DC | 184 | 6565 | 40.52 | 139.77 |
| 8 | Shubman Gill | GT | 131 | 4598 | 40.33 | 142.09 |
| 9 | Virat Kohli | RCB | 274 | 9261 | 40.09 | 134.53 |
| 10 | Lendl Simmons | MI | 29 | 1079 | 39.96 | 126.64 |
Just outside the top 10 sit Shaun Marsh at 39.95, Chris Gayle at 39.72, Jos Buttler at 39.71 and AB de Villiers at 39.70. MS Dhoni, with 5439 runs at 38.30, is the highest placed pure finisher on the list, helped by a career full of not outs.
Season by Season: How the Record Changed
In the early years the average charts were led by batters with short, bright careers. Lendl Simmons averaged 39.96 for Mumbai and Shaun Marsh averaged 39.95 for Punjab, and both were the reference points through much of the 2010s.
KL Rahul changed the scale. After moving to the top of the order, he piled up runs season after season and held the best average among regular batters through the late 2010s and early 2020s, peaking near 48 during that period.
Sai Sudharsan passed him during the 2025 season. He had already averaged 51.71 in 2023 and 47.90 in 2024, and his 2025 Orange Cap campaign of 759 runs at 54.21 with 6 fifties and a hundred took him clear at the top. His season by season record shows steady growth.
| Season | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5 | 145 | 36.25 | 127.19 |
| 2023 | 8 | 362 | 51.71 | 141.40 |
| 2024 | 12 | 527 | 47.90 | 141.28 |
| 2025 | 15 | 759 | 54.21 | 156.17 |
| 2026 | 17 | 722 | 45.12 | 157.98 |
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the newest name on the list. His strike rate of 228.95 is by far the highest in the top 10, showing how the modern game lets young batters attack from ball one and still keep a strong average.
What This Record Tells Us
Batting average in T20 cricket used to be treated as a secondary number. Strike rate got the headlines. This list shows why both matter together. Sudharsan averages 48.37 while scoring at 149.17, Klaasen averages 42.08 at 166.72, and Sooryavanshi averages 44.70 at 228.95. The best modern batters no longer choose between consistency and aggression.
The other lesson is sample size. Hashim Amla and Devon Conway sit in the top 5 from fewer than 30 innings each, and their averages will move a long way in either direction with a few good or bad games. Rahul, Warner, Kohli and Gill have held averages above 40 across more than 130 innings each, which is the harder achievement.
Finally, the average crown keeps getting younger. Sudharsan is 24, Sooryavanshi is a teenager, and Gill rose into the top 10 while still in his mid twenties. Teams now hunt for high average batters early in IPL 2027 auction planning, because a young opener who can bat long and score fast is the most valuable profile in the league. For the bowling side of the ledger, see the best bowling average in IPL chart, and for current season form the IPL 2026 batting stats page tracks the latest Orange Cap race.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the highest batting average in IPL history?
Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans. He averages 48.37 from 57 innings, with 2515 runs, 3 hundreds and 20 fifties.
What is KL Rahul’s batting average in IPL?
46.15 from 150 innings, with 5815 runs, 6 hundreds and 45 fifties. He is second on the all time list.
What is Virat Kohli’s batting average in IPL?
40.09 from 274 innings. He is the league’s leading run scorer with 9261 runs, 9 hundreds and 67 fifties, and sits ninth on the average list.
Which Indian batter has the highest average in IPL?
Sai Sudharsan at 48.37. Among batters with very long careers, KL Rahul leads Indian names at 46.15 from 150 innings.
Who has the highest batting average among overseas batters with a long IPL career?
David Warner at 40.52 from 184 innings. Hashim Amla (44.38) and Devon Conway (43.20) rank higher but from far fewer innings.
Can a player top the average chart from just a few innings?
Yes, and that is why context matters. Vivrant Sharma holds the highest raw average at 69.00, but that comes from a single innings for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Short careers swing wildly, so the meaningful record belongs to players with many innings behind them.
How many runs has Sai Sudharsan scored in the IPL?
2515 runs in 57 innings, with a highest score of 108 not out. He won the Orange Cap in 2025 with 759 runs at 54.21.
Statistics updated through: 11 October 2026
