The Most Run Scorers in IPL 2008-2022
The Indian Premier League (IPL) stands as the strongest pillar in the cricketing world right now, with a remarkable fan following and a billion-dollar corporate investment.
Hailed as the toughest and the richest T20 competition in the globe, the IPL has only grown from strength to strength and enjoys unmatched popularity in the hearts and minds of cricket followers.
In this article, we will talk about the best batters with the most runs in ipl history, who are one of the key reasons why the fan support for the IPL has only gone through the roof.
Table of Contents
A Brief Overview
The IPL began in 2008 and was launched as a marriage of cricket with entertainment, which paved the way for the word ‘cricketainment’, especially as the league was backed by multiple famous film icons among the other corporate giants. That held a strong base for the tournament as it reached its target audience quite quickly, with the T20 format growing strong in the public conscience.
The IPL has taken the sport to the nooks and corners of the country, leading to a scenario where more youngsters are taking inspiration from the leading stars they see in the park and wanting to play for their favourite IPL team, potentially going on to serve the country one day.
Most Runs in IPL 2008-2022
The purpose of this article, as stated above, is to put on the spotlight on the list of the most run-getters in the league each season from 2008 to 2022. We will focus on the top 5 run-makers of every edition of the IPL to date, which will allow us to celebrate those stars once again. Enlisted in the tables below are the top 5 run-makers for each edition of the IPL.
IPL 2008
| Name | Matches Played | Runs Scored | Average |
| Shaun Marsh | 11 | 616 | 68.44 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 14 | 534 | 41.4 |
| Sanath Jayasurita | 14 | 514 | 42.83 |
| Shane Watson | 15 | 472 | 47.20 |
| Graeme Smith | 11 | 441 | 49.0 |
IPL 2009
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Matthew Hayden | 12 | 572 | 52 |
| Adam Gilchrist | 16 | 495 | 30.93 |
| AB de Villiers | 15 | 465 | 51.66 |
| Suresh Raina | 14 | 434 | 31.0 |
| TM Dilshan | 14 | 418 | 41.80 |
IPL 2010
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 15 | 618 | 47.53 |
| Jacques Kallis | 16 | 572 | 47.66 |
| Suresh Raina | 16 | 520 | 47.27 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 14 | 493. | 37.92 |
| Murali Vijay | 15 | 458 | 35.23 |
IPL 2011
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Chris Gayle | 12 | 608 | 67.55 |
| Virat Kohli | 16 | 557 | 46.41 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 16 | 553 | 42.53 |
| Shaun Marsh | 14 | 504 | 42.0 |
| Michael Hussey | 14 | 492 | 41.0 |
IPL 2012
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Chris Gayle | 15 | 733 | 61.08 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 17 | 590 | 36.87 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 15 | 569 | 40.64 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 16 | 560 | 40.0 |
| Virender Sehwag | 16 | 495 | 33.0 |
IPL 2013
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Mike Hussey | 17 | 733 | 52.35 |
| Chris Gayle | 16 | 708 | 59.0 |
| Virat Kohli | 16 | 634 | 45.34 |
| Suresh Raina | 15 | 548 | 42.15 |
| Shane Watson | 16 | 543 | 38.78 |
IPL 2014
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Robin Uthappa | 16 | 660 | 44.0 |
| Dwayne Smith | 16 | 566 | 35.37 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 16 | 552 | 34.50 |
| David Warner | 14 | 528 | 48.0 |
| Suresh Raina | 16 | 523 | 40.23 |
IPL 2015
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| David Warner | 14 | 562 | 43.23 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 14 | 540 | 49 |
| Lendl Simmons | 13 | 540 | 45 |
| AB de Villiers | 16 | 513 | 46.63 |
| Virat Kohli | 16 | 505 | 45.90 |
IPL 2016
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Virat Kohli | 16 | 973 | 81.08 |
| David Warner | 17 | 848 | 60.57 |
| AB de Villiers | 16 | 687 | 52.84 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 15 | 501 | 38.53 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 17 | 501 | 38.53 |
IPL 2017
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| David Warner | 14 | 641 | 58.27 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 16 | 498 | 41.50 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 14 | 479 | 36.84 |
| Steve Smith | 15 | 472 | 39.33 |
| Suresh Raina | 14 | 442 | 40.18 |
IPL 2018
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Kane Williamson | 17 | 735 | 52.50 |
| Rishabh Pant | 14 | 684 | 52.61 |
| KL Rahul | 14 | 659 | 54.91 |
| Ambati Rayudu | 16 | 602 | 43.0 |
| Shane Watson | 15 | 555 | 39.64 |
IPL 2019
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| David Warner | 12 | 692 | 69.20 |
| KL Rahul | 14 | 593 | 53.90 |
| Quinton de Kock | 16 | 529 | 35.26 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 16 | 521 | 34.73 |
| Andre Russell | 14 | 510 | 56.66 |
IPL 2020
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| KL Rahul | 14 | 670 | 55.83 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 17 | 618 | 44.14 |
| David Warner | 16 | 548 | 39.14 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 17 | 519 | 34.60 |
| Ishan Kishan | 14 | 516 | 57.33 |
IPL 2021
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | 16 | 635 | 45.35 |
| Faf du Plessis | 16 | 633 | 45.21 |
| KL Rahul | 13 | 626 | 62.60 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 16 | 587 | 39.13 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 15 | 513 | 42.75 |
IPL 2022
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average |
| Jos Buttler | 17 | 863 | 57.53 |
| KL Rahul | 15 | 616 | 51.33 |
| Quinton de Kock | 15 | 508 | 36.28 |
| Hardik Pandya | 15 | 487 | 44.27 |
| Shubman Gill | 16 | 483 | 34.50 |
Notably, the rise in batting standards each IPL season can be gauged through the uplifted numbers for the top 5 batters, with their rising strike rates attained without compromising on the averages – always the toughest thing to achieve, especially with the bowling standards matching up to these willow-holders, coming up with different methods to curtail them on the field. The rise of defensive bowling art has made T20 fast-paced scoring tougher, but there are some exceptional individuals who are still very good at it.
The IPL 2008 took place when the art of defensive bowling skills was in its infancy. But there was no concept of range hitting and specific power-hitting drills at practice either. Batters had to find a way to withstand every challenge presented by the bowling on the show and do it while uplifting their T20 games at the same time.
Heading the list of top 5 players that managed to do it in the league’s inaugural edition was Punjab’s Australian recruit Shaun Marsh, who was terrific that season for the Kings. The left-hander blasted his way to the highest 616 runs in 11 innings at an average of 68.44 with a strike rate of 139.68. Following him in the list was Delhi Daredevils’ Gautam Gambhir, with a whopping 534 runs made in 14 innings at an average of 41.04 and a strike rate of 140.89.
Up next to Marsh and Gambhir were Sanath Jayasuriya, Shane Watson and Graeme Smith with 514, 472 and 441 runs, respectively, at third, fourth and fifth in the list. While Jayasuriya played for Mumbai Indians (MI), Watson and Smith joined forces for the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
In the second edition of the IPL played in 2009 played on South Africa’s high-pace and bounce surfaces, Australian giant Matthew Hayden emerged as the top run-scorer for the season by amassing 572 runs in just 12 innings for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It was an IPL season played months after his retirement from international cricket, but Hayden showed there is still fire left inside him as he yielded his famed ‘Mongoose’ bat and struck runs throughout the season for MS Dhoni and his team.
Next only to Hayden was his longstanding Aussie opening partner and Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, who led his troops from the front in what is renowned as Chargers’ comeback season. Leading the side exceptionally well, Gilchrist helped Chargers bounce back from their disastrous maiden campaign with some astute captaincy and class batting. He made 495 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 152.30.
The top 5 list for ipl 2009 is rounded off by other T20 giants such as AB de Villiers, Tilakaratne Dilshan and Suresh Raina as they smashed their way to 465, 434 and 418 runs for Daredevils and Super Kings, respectively.
The IPL 2010 saw the return of the league back to where it belongs. The Indian shores presented the challenge of spinner-friendly conditions to the batters, but few of them managed to overcome it and emerged as the most solid contributors to their respective teams. Of these, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar stood out tall from the rest of the pack, as he did throughout his career.
Despite nearing 37 at the time, Tendulkar smashed his way to 618 runs from just 15 innings at an average of 47.53 with a strike rate of 132.83. Tendulkar aged like a fine wine, producing his most fruitful IPL campaign when there were talks that he may be a misfit to the rigours of the shortest format. He was instrumental in MI reaching the final.
Only second to Tendulkar on the list was Jacques Kallis, who struck 572 runs for RCB at a strike rate of 115.78, playing the role of an anchor for the popular franchise. Following Kallis to round off the top 5 was Suresh Raina with 520 runs in 16 innings. At fourth, we had former KKR left-hander and skipper Sourav Ganguly making 493 runs from 14 innings, and CSK’s Murali Vijay, with 458 runs from 15 innings, was fifth.
The list for most runs for the IPL 2011 was headed by comeback man Chris Gayle as he blasted his way to the top of the crown with 608 runs in 12 innings for RCB at an average of 67.15 and strike rate of 183.13. At second on the list was another RCB great Kohli, who had his most fruitful IPL campaign at the time with 557 runs made in 16 innings.
Reigning on at third was the legendary Tendulkar with another age-belying campaign for MI, smashing his way to 553 runs from his 16 innings. Following Tendulkar was Shaun Marsh for Punjab with 504 runs from 14 innings and CSK’s Micheal Hussey with 492 runs from 14 innings himself.
At the peak of his prowess, Gayle returned to the IPL in 2012 to bag the top spot again, making 733 runs in 15 innings at an average of 61.08 with a strike rate of 160.74. The ‘Universe Boss’ was simply too good for the opposition attacks at the time. He nearly overshadowed the rest of the batting pack that season, with the next highest run-maker Gambhir getting 590 runs next to his name. The list of top 5 was rounded off by Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and Virender Sehwag with 569, 560 and 495 runs, respectively.
The IPL 2013 witnessed Mr Cricket Hussey reign supreme at the top of the highest run-getters list with 733 runs from 17 innings at an average of 52.35. Hussey played the perfect anchor role for CSK at the top, providing them with good solidity, which they used to maximise the abilities of their power-hitters down the order. Only next to Hussey on the list was Gayle, who was tremendous again, with 708 runs made in 16 innings. Following Gayle was teammate Kohli with 634 runs, Raine with 548 runs and Watson after 543 runs in his kitty.
The IPL 2014 was the year of KKR’s consistent and explosive opener Robin Uthappa, who dominated the season played in unique conditions in UAE and India with 660 runs from 16 innings at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 137.78. Second to Uthappa was Dwayne Smith for CSK as he blasted his way to 566 runs. The next three slots in the list were bagged by Glenn Maxwell, David Warner and Raina with 552, 528 and 523 runs, respectively.
At the height of Warner’s dominance in the IPL we had him top scoring for IPL 2015 with 562 runs made at an average of 43.23 and a strike rate of 156.24. Warner blazed his willow for seven half-centuries in another spectacular season for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), leading their batting unit from the front in all his gusto. Only next to Warner was Royals’ ex Indian stalwart Rahane with 540 runs, followed by MI opener Lendl Simmons after his 540 runs made at a lesser SR of 122.44. Next up in the coveted list here is De Villiers with 513 runs and his teammate Kohli with 508 of his own.
The most runs in ipl 2016 tag had only a simple winner. Kohli’s T20 game peaked in that season as he struck a jaw-dropping 973 runs from just 16 innings with four centuries and seven half-centuries. It was the year of Kohli with a bat in hand, and the IPL 2016 is where he exercised his dominance the most.
He was so good that people tend to forget that second-placed Warner, with 848 runs in 17 innings, managed to almost singlehandedly guide the SRH batting line-up and lead his team from the front towards the trophy. Next to the Kohli-Warner duo at third was RCB great De Villiers after 687 runs, followed by KKR stalwart Gambhir and Dhawan with the joint-best 501 runs, respectively.
The list for most runs in ipl 2017 was headed by Warner this time as he blasted his way to 641 runs for SRH in 14 innings. The experienced left-hander stood out from the rest of the SRH pack, relishing the Indian conditions in white-ball cricket for the ‘Orange Army’ and dominating attacks throughout. Next to Warner were Gambhir for KKR with 498 runs made in 16 innings, and Dhawan for SRH with 479 runs. To round off the bandwagon, Smith for Rising Pune Super Giants made 472 runs, followed by Raina for Gujarat Lions with 442 runs.
A surprising name to top the list of most runs in ipl 2018 was SRH’s standing captain Kane Williamson. Replacing Warner at the helm, the stoic right-hander dispelled doubts around his T20 ability and blazed his willow for a whopping 735 runs. He was followed in the race for the top spot by two bright Indian players in Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, with 684 and 659 runs, respectively. To round off the list, we had CSK veteran Ambati Rayudu with 602 runs and his opening partner Watson with 555 runs.
Warner had a strong comeback season the following year as he cast aside the word against him for the Cape Town ball-tampering saga and let his bat do all the talking for SRH, finishing with 692 runs from 12 innings. Rahul was placed second in the list of most runs for ipl 2019 with 593 runs, followed by Quinton de Kock with 529 runs, Shikhar Dhawan with 521 runs and last but not least, Andre Russell with 510 runs in his kitty.
After flirting with the top spot in the previous two years, Rahul found himself at the top of the ipl 2020 most-run list with 670 runs made in just 14 innings. Rahul was followed in the race by his Indian teammate Dhawan with 618 runs for Delhi. How could Warner be left behind, as he stood third in the list for even IPL 2020, finishing with 548 runs to his name. At fourth and fifth in the list, we had Shreyas Iyer with 519 runs and his friend Ishan Kishan after 516 runs, respectively.
The most runs in ipl 2021 list were topped by young Ruturaj Gaikwad, who relished the spin-friendly realms in UAE and India to make a whopping 635 runs for CSK. Peerlessly close to Gaikwad was teammate and opening partner Faf du Plessis, with 633 runs made. Following the Gaikwad-Du Plessis opening pair was Rahul, with 626 runs made in 13 innings. To round off the list, Dhawan, with 587 runs and Maxwell, with 513, were placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Two Indians dominated the IPL 2021 most runs and wickets columns, as Harshal Patel claimed 32 wickets to go with Gaikwad’s tally of 635 runs.
The tag for most runs in ipl 2022 was won by Royals’ smashing opening bat Jos Buttler, who pulverised the opposition attacks with an astonishing 863 runs for the season. Only next to Buttler on the list was Rahul for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) with 616 runs. Following Rahul in the list of most runs for ipl 2022 were his LSG teammate Quinton de Kock 508 runs, Gujarat Titans (GT) colleagues Hardik Pandya (487) and Shubman Gill (483), respectively.
Analysis of Top Run-Scorers
A deeper analysis of the top run-maker of each IPL season would be interesting. We will now try to highlight the best batter of every edition of the toughest T20 league and come up with a comparative study to perhaps find out who is the best of the best in what is inarguably the stiffest T20 competition. Along the way will also try to analyse and understand the factors that have contributed to the success of these giants in the tournament.
Starting with Shaun Marsh in IPL 2008 for what were then the Kings XI Punjab. Just to reiterate, Marsh made his 616 runs in 11 innings at an average of 68.44 with a strike rate of 139.68 at a time when consistently blazing the ball away was still in its infancy. It may have helped the left-hander that the defensive bowling skills were also not as sharp as they are today, but so was power-hitting as a concept. That Marsh could fly across from Australia and undergo his most fruitful IPL campaign in alien conditions when he wasn’t even an established international cricketer makes for one of the most noteworthy ascents towards the numero uno spot.
It’s easier to understand why Matthew Hayden would end up as the top run-getter of the IPL 2009. Still very much fit, only months into his international retirement, Hayden relished the conditions back in South Africa, where the good pace and bounce on the surfaces aided his boundary-hitting skills quite a bit. Hayden could trust the bounce and go through with his downswing on pitches where timing was never going to be an issue. Still, 612 runs in 12 innings on the evening of his career was some performance from the left-hand giant.
From the gem to the diamond, Sachin Tendulkar’s yeoman service to the sport was such that even if he hadn’t nailed it in the IPL at any stage, it wouldn’t have been a shade on his body of work. But the forever young Master Blaster pulled off an exhibition of class and pedigree, belying his age to produce 618 runs from just 15 innings at an average of 47.53 with a strike rate of 132.83. That’s remarkable if one were to just take a moment and think about it for a player whose tryst with T20 coincided with the twilight of his 24-year-long reign. But Tendulkar not only dominated his way throughout the tournament but also helped MI reach the final. It was, at the time, MI’s best IPL finish.
With his ability to consistently yield the willow for a maximum out of the park, it was a shocker really that it took Chris Gayle nearly five years to truly come into his own as an IPL cricketer. But back in 2011, when the RCB brought him into their squad after his controversial rift with Cricket West Indies, Gayle perhaps had a point to prove, which was a motivation that did wonders for the Universe Boss. He absolutely pulverised the opposition attacks that summer and ended with 608 runs in 12 innings at an average of 67.15 and strike rate of 183.13 – which was astonishing at the time.
Once he tasted the IPL success, Gayle wasn’t one to settle with just a season of supremacy with a bat in hand as he regained the numero uno spot in the batting chart the following summer, too. That year, Gayle blasted his way to 733 runs in 15 innings at an average of 61.08 with a strike rate of 160.74. His average and strike rate came down marginally from the previous season, but it was still the best of the best players in the IPL 2012, a year which is known for the famous ‘Gaylestorm’, wherein his 175 against the Pune Warriors would still give those bowlers a nightmare sometimes.
The IPL 2013 was the season of another of the game’s old but strongest warhorses as Michael Hussey brought in all his experience and ability into play for four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and played their perfect anchor at the top of the order, scoring 733 runs from 17 innings at an average of 52.35. Hussey was always a little understated T20 giant in his own rights, but he finally had a season where people could truly rave about him, as he helped CSK make it past the league stage of the IPL again.
Cut to IPL 2014, and that was the season where KKR’s dependable opening batter Robin Uthappa unleashed the beast that everyone had always envisioned about him with a bat in hand. Uthappa was vital to KKR’s journey towards their second IPL title, as the elegant right-hander smashed the bowling at the top of the order and laid a solid foundation for the rest of the unit to attack. Adjusting to surfaces from UAE to India wasn’t much of an issue for Uthappa, who struck 660 runs from 16 innings at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 137.78, showcasing a great range that perhaps should’ve earned him a comeback to India’s T20I side.
Up next as the highest run-getter for IPL 2015 was the mighty David Warner, with 562 runs made at an average of 43.23 and a strike rate of 156.24. Warner was a beast unlocked on the opposition that season as he stood out amongst his Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) side and even put quite a few opposition players to the shade. That was the experienced left-hander writing his IPL legacy at the peak of his prowess. He is regarded as the best IPL batter ever for a reason, as his body of work has been remarkable, to say the least.
Talk of something remarkable, and it’s only right we head to IPL 2016 when the then RCB skipper Virat Kohli came out firing with the bat in hand. It remains Kohli’s best season to date, with him blasting away 973 runs and taking RCB on the verge of what could’ve been their maiden IPL title. It wasn’t Kohli as we had known him before: this was a beast unleashed on the opposition, consistently dominating attacks and hammering them to all parts. For the sheer improvement displayed by Kohli in his power-hitting game, the IPL 2016 goes down in the history of the league as one of the greatest individual campaigns.
After finishing second only to Kohli in IPL 2016, the IPL 2017 witnessed Warner’s return to bag the top spot in the competition runs-chart. The experienced left-hander had another of his 600+ run seasons, which vindicated his skill depth and range as it meant that even after a decade into the IPL, no opposition attack really had a grip on the explosive Aussie batter. That, if not for anything else, is what makes Warner’s IPL 2017 performance special.
Passing the baton onto another SRH stalwart, Kane Williamson took over in Warner’s absence and led the ‘Orange Army’ from the front. It was a spectacular campaign where the elegant Kiwi right-hander made 735 runs, once and for all dispelling the doubts around his range and overall ability to perform in T20 cricket. Williamson was never considered a T20 batter until then. And so for him to come out roaring and never once looking out of place while leading SRH to an IPL final remains one of the most amazing individual performances in IPL cricket.
Who else but Warner again? The tremendous player that he has been in IPL cricket, the left-hander made a valiant return to the league that season. It was a campaign where not only did Warner reinforce his ability to dominate – scoring 692 runs in 14 innings – but also showcased his strong temperament and ability to bounce back. That he could shed the dark shadows of the ball-tampering incident away and focus on the job at hand as well as he did was admirable of someone who could term the Mr IPL.
Fast forward life by a year, and this time it was KL Rahul who ended as the player with the most runs in ipl 2020. The elegant India batter blazed his willow for 670 runs during the campaign for Punjab in just 14 innings. It was the year that started a three-year fruitful run for Rahul, whose strike rate and explosiveness may have fallen under scrutiny but has always been a player capable of holding an end up, playing anchor to allow the rest of the team to blaze away.
The player with the most runs in ipl 2021 was young CSK recruit Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Maharashtra right-hander who proved to be a worthy investment for MS Dhoni & company, hitting a whopping 635 runs from his 16 innings. It was a campaign that reflected brightly on Gaikwad’s ability to adjust to different surfaces as the IPL 2021 was played on more bowler-friendly tracks in India and UAE. He was especially brilliant versus spin and took down some important pace match-ups for his team.
Last but not least is Royals’ explosive opening batter Jos Buttler, who was mindboggling throughout ipl 2022, emerging as the player with the most runs for the season after his 863 runs made over 17 innings. Buttler hammered the bowling to all parts for four centuries during the season, falling short of Kohli’s jaw-dropping IPL 2016 tally by 110 runs. He remains the second-highest run-getter in one edition of the IPL.
Comparison can be a thief of joy, but to identify the best batter in IPL history, we will have to put the ten brilliant men talked about above against each other. When each of those has held the tag for most runs in an ipl season to their name, it is perhaps only right to come up with the player who has won it more than anyone else. There have been two players who have won the most runs tag more than once: David Warner and Chris Gayle. Of these, Warner has won the title thrice in IPL 2015, 2017 and IPL 2019 and is thus the greatest IPL batter.
Conclusion
The biggest takeaway from the article concerning the most runs getter in ipl cricket is how all of these batters have tended to raise the quality and standards for the league every year. With the advancements on the bowling front, these batters have had to counter every challenge presented to them and produce the goods.
Indirectly along that path, it’s these gents that have made IPL the most popular T20 league in the world, inspiring the young generations and compelling them to grow as aspiring talents themselves, which has helped develop cricket in India immensely.
It would be interesting to know then what our readers think of this study based on who they think is the best IPL run-getter depending on their metrics and feel about things.
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