IPL: Statistical Analysis of the first 50 IPL centuries

A century is no mean achievement for a batsman in any format of cricket. When it comes in a T20 game, it is even more special as not every good batsman, however complete he is, can breach the three-figure mark in the game's shortest format.

Brendon McCullum, by scoring a dazzling century to set the stage ablaze, had given IPL just the kind of start its forefathers would have envisioned. Ten years hence, Rishabh Pant, who was himself only ten years old when McCullum did what he did to RCB, showcased magic with his willow as he happened to score IPL history's 50th century.

Let us dive into the numbers curated by IPL centurions over the years as the league completes a decade and the list of centuries crosses half a century.

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Player-wise break up of IPL hundreds

'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle is the leader of the pack when it comes to scoring hundreds in the marquee league. The Jamaican has scored 5 centuries, all of which have come in a winning cause, and leads Virat Kohli who has managed 4 centuries, all of which came in 2016.

Brendon McCullum became the first ever batsman to score an IPL century as he achieved the feat on IPL's debut on 18th April 2008.

Manish Pandey became the first Indian to register a three-figure score in IPL history, courtest his match-winning effort against Deccan Chargers in 2009.

After Indians, who have scored 18 out of the 50 IPL centuries, Australians and Windies batsmen have managed to score big in India's T20 extravaganza, with 11 and 8 hundreds respectively.

South Africans with 7 centuries are next, followed by the Kiwis, Lankans and the English, each of who have contributed 2 hundreds.

Only 5 players have been able to score a century while captaining an IPL team. Virat Kohli, who had a breakaway 2016 with 973 runs, scored all his four centuries that season, stamping his authority over the leadership role.

Team-wise distribution of IPL centuries

Royal Challengers Bangalore were a punt of jokes after IPL's inaugural match when McCullum inflicted pain on the cricket park, They were trolled to have lost to McCullum by 76 runs as they were bundled out for 82. However, over the years, they have come to be known as the powerhouse of batting in the league, a premise made evident by the following table.

With 12 centuries produced by their batsmen over the last decade, it is safe to say that they have been the big scoring team in the league, accounting for one in almost four of such scenarios.

Also, three franchises, Gujarat Lions, Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, all of whom are now defunct, never had the glory of having a centurion in their side.

With 10 and 8 hundreds, Punjab and Delhi fall just behind RCB. This also somewhat proves that just possessing big scoring players up your ranks does not guarantee success as all these three teams are the only ones since IPL's inception that have not yet laid their hands on the glittering trophy. Still a batsman's game?

IPL centuries as per the teams they were scored against

KKR, who have not produced a single century performance after the inaugural match, have ended up conceding the maximum centuries in IPL cricket. The Gujarat Lions, are second on this dreaded list, even though they were a part of the IPL for just a couple of seasons.

Mumbai and Rajasthan have returned the favor the exact number of times they have been at the receiving end. Delhi's ratio of scoring 5 centuries per such performance conceded is the best amongst all teams.

Although, Delhi's name could be the first that comes to mind while talking about IPL's most unsuccessful teams and thus once again the above parameter fails to reflect a team's results.

Ground wise distribution of IPL centuries

Where have the IPL centuries been scored?

As many as 14 IPL venues have seen batsmen going past the three-figure mark. Interestingly, Kingsmead in Durban and Supersport Park in Centurion are the only two non-Indian grounds to have seen this unfolding.

UAE, which hosted the first leg of IPL 2014, did not see any case of a batsman breaching the three-figure mark. Among Indian stadiums, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore is a clear standout as far as centuries scored is concerned.

The short boundaries and a higher altitude that assists the ball in traveling longer distances, apart from a batting friendly pitch are all favorable factors that justify RCB's home venue accounting for more than 20% of IPL's hundreds.

PCA Stadium, Mohali is next in line with 7 followed by Chepauk and Wankhede with 5 each.

Fastest/Slowest centuries

Top 3 Fastest and slowest IPL hundreds

The record for the fastest IPL hundred rests with Chris Gayle, who clobbered Pune Warriors India to all parts of the Chinnaswamy to bring up a 30-ball century. Yusuf Pathan, who holds the Indian record, did so in a losing cause in a 2010 game against Mumbai.

Third on the list, David Miller produced a blinder of an innings to snatch victory from RCB, leaving them blank and earning himself the moniker 'Killer Miller'.

RCB, who hold the record for the fastest ton, also have the slowest one to their name. Manish Pandey hit his way through a challenging Deccan Charger's bowling attack to register his only IPL ton that came of 67 balls.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar also scored an IPL ton, albeit in a losing cause and also the second slowest in IPL history.

Centuries in Winning/Losing cause

10 out of 50 IPL centuries have come in a losing cause

To score a century and yet end up on the losing side would be such a dissatisfaction for any batsman. Young Indian sensation Rishabh Pant was at the receiving end of the same feeling recently when his magnificent 128* could not prove enough for his team Delhi's victory.

Symonds went through a similar feeling in 2008 when compatriot Shane Warne smashed him for 17 runs in the last over of the match to snatch a memorable victory. Wriddhiman Saha would have loved to lift the trophy after becoming the first and till date the only centurion in an IPL final. It was, though, not to be so.

Chris Gayle's 175*, McCullum's 158* and de Villiers' 133* are all famous knocks that cricket fans always remember and bowlers try forgetting.