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CSK captain MS Dhoni became the 7th player to score 5000 runs in the IPL on Wednesday, April 3. He brought up the milestone in style, hitting a six off Mark Wood in their game against the Lucknow Super Giants.
Dhoni took 208 innings and 3691 balls to achieve the feat - becoming the 2nd fastest Indian (by balls) after Suresh Raina. He now has 5004 runs in the IPL at an average of 39.09 and a strike rate of 135.53.
There have been several batting greats in the IPL. However, scoring over 5000 runs is a testimony to the longevity of these batters. In this piece, we explore the 3 fastest batters to reach the milestone by the number of innings batted. This metric will naturally favor top-order batters who face more balls on average.
#1 David Warner - 135 innings
Warner sits at the top of the list by a comfortable margin. He is arguably the most consistent batter in IPL history. He has scored 5937 runs at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of 140.42. The southpaw has the most 50+ scores in the competition with 4 centuries and 56 half-centuries to his name.
Warner brought up the 5000 run mark against KKR, scoring 47* off just 33 balls in a 164-run chase. Interestingly, he batted at number 4 for his former team (SRH) in that game in order to maximize Williamson's returns in the Powerplay. However, they lost the game in the Super over.
The Australian superstar is now the Delhi Capitals captain in the absence of Rishabh Pant. He will look to make a mark for the team where he made his debut.
#2 Virat Kohli - 157 innings
Former India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli has also crossed the 5000 run threshold. He is currently the highest run-getter of all time in the IPL. He has scored 6706 runs in 216 innings at an average of 36.64 and a strike rate of 129.50. Kohli brought up his 50th 50-plus score of the tournament in their first match of the 2023 season against MI.
Kohli reached the 5000-run milestone against the Mumbai Indians in 2019. He scored 46 off 32 balls in a run-chase of 188. However, it did not prove to be enough as Bangalore lost the encounter by a close margin of just six runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The star batter will look to capitalize on his excellent form and RCB's maiden IPL title this season.
#3 AB de Villiers - 161 innings
One of the most incredible T20 batters of all time, De Villiers is the only non-opener on the list. He took 161 innings to score 5000 runs in the coveted tournament. ABD has scored 5162 runs in 170 innings at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 151.68 with three centuries and 40 half-centuries.
The former RCB player brought up the milestone against the Delhi Capitals, scoring 75* off just 42 balls on an Ahmedabad wicket that was difficult to bat on. His innings ensured a victory for RCB, although it went down to the wire as they won by just one run.
De Villiers retired from all forms of cricket after that IPL season. He recently showed up at the RCB unbox event alongside another legend, Chris Gayle. The two remain fan favorites at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
