Sixers fill the highlight reels, but fours win T20 matches. A clean cover drive or a late cut keeps the scoreboard moving without the risk of a big shot. In the IPL, the batters who hit the most fours are usually the most reliable run scorers in their teams. Virat Kohli leads this record with 844 fours, ahead of Shikhar Dhawan with 768 and David Warner with 663.
Kohli crossed Dhawan’s long standing mark during the 2025 season and then became the first batter in IPL history to reach 800 fours. This article breaks down the record: the top 10 batters with the most fours, the biggest single innings boundary hauls, the best single season totals, and how the record has changed over the years.
Most Fours in IPL Overview
Virat Kohli holds the record for the most fours in IPL history. His total keeps growing because he has played every season since 2008 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
| Record | Holder | Number | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most career fours | Virat Kohli | 844 | 2008 to present |
| Most fours in one innings | Paul Valthaty and AB de Villiers | 19 each | 2011 and 2015 |
| Most fours in one season | David Warner and Sai Sudharsan | 88 each | 2016 and 2025 |
Top 10 Batters with Most Fours in IPL
These are the leading boundary hitters in IPL history, verified against stats from the 2026 season end. Only Kohli and the retired Dhawan have crossed 700 fours.
| Rank | Batter | Fours | Matches | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 844 | 276 | RCB |
| 2 | Shikhar Dhawan | 768 | 222 | DCH, DC, MI, PBKS, SRH |
| 3 | David Warner | 663 | 184 | DC, SRH |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma | 661 | 276 | DCH, MI |
| 5 | Ajinkya Rahane | 539 | 207 | CSK, DC, KKR, MI, RPS, RR |
| 6 | KL Rahul | 508 | 154 | DC, KXIP, LSG, PBKS, RCB, SRH |
| 7 | Suresh Raina | 506 | 205 | CSK, GL |
| 8 | Gautam Gambhir | 492 | 154 | DC, KKR |
| 9 | Suryakumar Yadav | 482 | 175 | KKR, MI |
| 10 | Robin Uthappa | 481 | 205 | CSK, KKR, MI, PWI, RCB, RR |
Dinesh Karthik sits just outside the top 10 with 466 fours in 257 matches. Among active batters, Rohit Sharma is the closest to Kohli but trails by 183 fours, so the record looks safe for a long time. For the season’s biggest run makers, see our Orange Cap winners in IPL list.
Most Fours in a Single IPL Innings
Paul Valthaty holds one of the most surprising records in the IPL. Playing for Kings XI Punjab in 2011, he hit 19 fours in an unbeaten 120 against Chennai Super Kings, chasing down a big target almost alone. AB de Villiers matched the 19 fours record with his famous 133 not out for RCB against Mumbai Indians in 2015, an innings built on pure timing.
| Batter | Fours | Runs | Match | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Valthaty | 19 | 120 not out | KXIP vs CSK | 2011 |
| AB de Villiers | 19 | 133 not out | RCB vs MI | 2015 |
| KL Rahul | 16 | 152 not out | DC vs PBKS | 2026 |
| KL Rahul | 14 | 132 not out | KXIP vs RCB | 2020 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 14 | 141 | SRH vs PBKS | 2025 |
| Chris Gayle | 13 | 175 not out | RCB vs PWI | 2013 |
| Shubman Gill | 13 | 129 | GT vs MI | 2023 |
Even Chris Gayle, the greatest six hitter in IPL history, never hit more than 13 fours in a single innings. That shows how different the two boundary skills are. For the team big hitting records, see our article on most sixes by teams in a single IPL season.
Most Fours in a Single IPL Season
The single season record belongs jointly to David Warner and Sai Sudharsan. Warner hit 88 fours in 2016 during Sunrisers Hyderabad’s title winning campaign, the most by any batter in one edition at that time. Sai Sudharsan equalled the mark with 88 fours in 2025. Sachin Tendulkar’s 86 fours in 2010 held the record before Warner broke it.
| Rank | Batter | Fours | Season | Runs that season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Warner | 88 | 2016 | 848 |
| 1 | Sai Sudharsan | 88 | 2025 | Not officially confirmed |
| 3 | Sachin Tendulkar | 86 | 2010 | 618 |
| 4 | Shubman Gill | 85 | 2023 | 890 |
| 5 | Virat Kohli | 83 | 2016 | 973 |
| 5 | Jos Buttler | 83 | 2022 | 863 |
Record History
The most fours record has moved slowly because it rewards long careers. Shikhar Dhawan built his 768 fours across 222 matches from 2008 to 2024, and for years nobody looked close to him. Virat Kohli kept adding season after season, and during the 2025 final he went past Dhawan with his 769th IPL four. A year later he became the first batter to cross 800, and by the end of the 2026 season he had reached 844.
Warner is the standout on a per match basis. His 663 fours came in just 184 matches, far fewer than the batters above him, which makes his strike rate of boundaries the best among the top names. Rohit Sharma crossed 650 fours and stays in the hunt for second place on the all time list if he plays a few more seasons. Young batters like Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill are climbing fast but would need five or six huge seasons to reach Kohli’s number.
What This Record Tells Us
The fours list looks very different from the sixes list. Gayle tops the sixes chart but does not appear in the fours top 10, while touch players like Rahane, Gambhir and Uthappa rank high here. Hitting fours is about timing, placement and running between wickets, not raw power. That is why openers dominate the list: they face the most balls with the field up in the powerplay, when gaps are easiest to find.
The list also shows why consistency matters more than one big season. Tendulkar, Warner and Kohli all had seasons with 80 plus fours, but the career record belongs to the batter who played the most seasons at the top of the order. Any young opener who wants this record needs a decade of regular IPL cricket, which is why Kohli’s 844 looks like it will stand for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has hit the most fours in IPL history?
Virat Kohli has hit the most fours in IPL history with 844 fours, all for Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2008 to the present.
Who held the record for most fours before Virat Kohli?
Shikhar Dhawan held the record with 768 fours until Kohli went past him during the 2025 season.
Who has hit the most fours in a single IPL innings?
Paul Valthaty and AB de Villiers share the record with 19 fours each. Valthaty hit 19 fours in his 120 not out for Kings XI Punjab against Chennai Super Kings in 2011, and de Villiers hit 19 fours in his 133 not out for RCB against Mumbai Indians in 2015.
Who has hit the most fours in a single IPL season?
David Warner with 88 fours in 2016 and Sai Sudharsan with 88 fours in 2025 share the single season record.
How many fours has Rohit Sharma hit in the IPL?
Rohit Sharma has hit 661 fours in 276 IPL matches, which puts him fourth on the all time list.
Which active batter is closest to Virat Kohli’s fours record?
Rohit Sharma is the closest active batter but trails Kohli by 183 fours, so the record is not under threat in the near future.
Why do openers dominate the most fours list?
Openers face the most deliveries with the fielding restrictions on in the powerplay, which creates gaps for boundaries. Most of the top 10 opened the batting through large parts of their careers.
Statistics updated through: 17 October 2026
