Some batters in the IPL save their best for one team. Year after year, they walk out against the same bowling attack and pile on the runs. The list of batters with most runs against a single opponent in the IPL is a special club. It rewards long careers, steady form, and a clear liking for one rival.
Rohit Sharma sits at the top of this list. He has scored 1,161 runs against the Kolkata Knight Riders in 36 innings. That is the most runs any batter has scored against one team in IPL history. Rohit Sharma’s runs against each IPL team show his fondness for the Knight Riders attack more than any other.
Virat Kohli is right behind him. Kohli has scored 1,159 runs against the Punjab Kings and 1,146 runs against the Chennai Super Kings. David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul complete the top ten. Only four batters have ever crossed 1,000 runs against a single opponent. This article shows the full top ten, how the record changed over the years, and what these numbers tell us about the great rivalries of the league.
IPL Stats Batters with Most Runs against a Single Opponent Overview
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Record holder | Rohit Sharma |
| Runs | 1,161 |
| Against | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Innings | 36 |
| Batters with 1,000 plus runs against one team | 4 (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan) |
| Total instances of 1,000 plus runs against one team | 7 |
Top 10 Batters with Most Runs against a Single Opponent
| Rank | Batter | Runs | Opponent | Innings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | 1,161 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 36 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | 1,159 | Punjab Kings | 36 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | 1,146 | Chennai Super Kings | 34 |
| 4 | David Warner | 1,134 | Punjab Kings | 26 |
| 5 | Virat Kohli | 1,130 | Delhi Capitals | 30 |
| 6 | David Warner | 1,093 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 28 |
| 7 | Rohit Sharma | 1,092 | Delhi Capitals | 38 |
| 8 | Shikhar Dhawan | 1,057 | Chennai Super Kings | 29 |
| 9 | Virat Kohli | 1,021 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 32 |
| 10 | KL Rahul | 977 | Mumbai Indians | 21 |
Virat Kohli appears four times in the top ten, more than any other batter. His 1,146 runs against Chennai Super Kings came with 10 fifties, an average of 38.2, and a strike rate of 127.75. He hit 83 fours and 48 sixes against them. Virat Kohli’s record against every IPL team is full of such numbers, but his Chennai tally is the standout.
David Warner’s entry is remarkable for speed. He needed only 26 innings for his 1,134 runs against Punjab Kings. His 13 scores of fifty plus against them are the most fifties any batter has scored against a single IPL team. KL Rahul’s runs against each IPL team tell a different story. Rahul has 977 runs against Mumbai Indians in just 21 innings, with three centuries, which is the most centuries against a single opponent by any batter.
Record History
This record has changed hands many times. Here is how the race for the top spot played out.
| Season | Milestone |
|---|---|
| IPL 2020 | Rohit Sharma becomes the first batter to reach 1,000 runs against one team, crossing the mark against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi |
| 2023 | David Warner holds the top spot with 1,075 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders; Shikhar Dhawan has 1,057 against Chennai Super Kings |
| IPL 2023 | Virat Kohli becomes the first batter to reach 1,000 runs against Delhi Capitals, getting there in May with 1,030 runs in 27 innings |
| IPL 2024 | Rohit Sharma joins Kohli as the second batter with 1,000 runs against Delhi Capitals |
| IPL 2025 | Kohli reaches 1,000 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders, the first batter to score 1,000 runs against four different teams |
| IPL 2026 | Rohit Sharma finishes on top of the all time list with 1,161 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders |
The Mumbai versus Kolkata rivalry has fed Rohit’s tally. The two teams have met twice a season for years, and Rohit has opened the batting in most of those games. The Chennai versus Bengaluru rivalry did the same for Kohli. His battles with the Super Kings bowling attack, season after season, built the 1,146 run total.
One record inside a single season also deserves mention. In 2016, Virat Kohli scored 209 runs against the Gujarat Lions in one edition. In 2022, KL Rahul scored 206 runs against Mumbai Indians in one edition. In 2026, Sanju Samson joined them, scoring 202 runs against Delhi Capitals in one edition. Only these three batters have scored 200 plus runs against one opponent in a single IPL season.
What This Record Tells Us
Long careers come first. Every batter in the top ten has played well over 150 IPL matches. You cannot score 1,000 runs against one team in two or three seasons. It takes a decade of facing the same attack twice a year, staying fit, and staying in form.
Familiarity is the second factor. Batters study bowlers, and bowlers study batters. The ones who keep scoring against the same team have found a method that keeps working. Warner’s 13 fifties against Punjab Kings show a method, not luck. Rahul’s average of 86.7 against Mumbai Indians, the best against any team with a minimum of 850 runs, shows the same thing.
Team rivalries feed these totals. Mumbai against Kolkata, Bengaluru against Chennai, these fixtures come around every season. Big players lift their game for big fixtures. That is why the top of this list reads like a list of the league’s biggest names.
The numbers are verified from the official IPL stats archives and cross checked with ESPNcricinfo IPL records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has scored the most runs against a single opponent in the IPL?
Rohit Sharma. He has scored 1,161 runs in 36 innings against the Kolkata Knight Riders. That is the most runs any batter has scored against one team in IPL history.
How many batters have scored 1,000 runs against one IPL team?
Four batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, David Warner, and Shikhar Dhawan. Between them there are seven instances of a batter crossing 1,000 runs against a single opponent.
Which batter has 1,000 runs against the most IPL teams?
Virat Kohli. He has scored 1,000 plus runs against four teams: Punjab Kings (1,159), Chennai Super Kings (1,146), Delhi Capitals (1,130), and Kolkata Knight Riders (1,021). No other batter has done it against more than two teams.
Who has the most fifties against a single IPL opponent?
David Warner. He has 13 scores of fifty plus against the Punjab Kings, the most by any batter against one team. He scored 1,134 runs against them in only 26 innings.
Who has scored the most centuries against a single IPL team?
KL Rahul. He has three centuries against the Mumbai Indians, the most by any batter against one team. He averages 86.7 against them, with 977 runs in 21 innings.
Who was the first batter to score 1,000 runs against one IPL team?
Rohit Sharma. He crossed the mark against the Kolkata Knight Riders during IPL 2020 in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first batter in league history to reach 1,000 runs against a single opponent.
What is Virat Kohli’s record against Chennai Super Kings?
Kohli has scored 1,146 runs in 34 innings against Chennai Super Kings. He made 10 fifties against them, averaging 38.2 with a strike rate of 127.75, hitting 83 fours and 48 sixes.
Statistics updated through: 23 October 2026
