Top 5 run-chasers in IPL history

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching T20 tournaments. Top players from around the world compete with and against each other.

It has been a decade since the IPL started and it has grown leaps and bounds, since then.

Over the past few seasons in the IPL, chasing has become a trend. Most captains prefer to bowl first as it helps the team assess what they need to score batting second. And over the years, there have been some players who have done very well batting second.

Hence, let’s have a look at top 5 run-chasers in IPL history.

Note – Players ranked based on average

Criteria - Minimum 1000 runs batting second

---

#5 David Warner – 42.60

With 3922 runs overall in the IPL, David Warner is fifth on the leading run-getters of all time in the IPL.

Warner burst onto the international scene with a brutal 43-ball 89 against South Africa in his debut T20I in 2009. With some early T20 success, Warner was picked by Delhi Daredevils for the second edition of the IPL in 2009. Even though he didn’t start off too well, he started delivering the goods once he grew in experience.

He slowly became consistent but it was his move to the Sunrises Hyderabad that changed things drastically for him. For DD, he played 55 games and scored 1435 runs at an average of 28.70. But for SRH, he has scored 2487 runs in 28 games at an average of 51.81. Moreover, captaincy has brought the best out of him. He has learned to take the responsibility of the team as he now looks to bat through the innings, especially while chasing.

He has become very good while batting second. In 54 innings that he has batted second, he has scored 1917 runs at a superb average of 42.60. He has single-handedly taken SRH to victory on many occasions in run chases. One of his stand out innings was his unbeaten 93 that took the Hyderabad-franchise to victory (and through to the Final) in the Second Qualifier against Gujarat Lions.

#4 Rohit Sharma – 43.58

Rohit Sharma has led MI to three IPL titles.

Rohit Sharma is arguably one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the world at the moment. And it’s been more than 10 years since he made his international debut.

In the first three years, Rohit Sharma played for the Deccan Charges and was a key part of their middle-order. However, Mumbai Indians acquired the services of the right-hander in 2011 and he has been one of the most important players in the franchise since then. Rohit Sharma is currently placed at #3 in the leading run-getters list of all time in the IPL.

However, his second innings exploits that make his numbers special. In 50 innings that he has batted while chasing, Rohit averages 43.58. He has scored 1351 runs at a strike-rate of almost 130.

His numbers have deteriorated a bit after a poor season in 2017. But, he is still one of the most prolific batsmen in the IPL.

#3 Suresh Raina – 48.91

Raina has been very consistent for both teams (CSK and GL).

It might not be wrong to nickname Suresh Raina as Mr IPL. The Uttar Pradesh left-hander has an impeccable record in the IPL. He is currently the leading run-scorer of all-time in the IPL. He has scored 4540 runs in 161 matches at an average of 34.14 and a strike-rate of 139.09.

He has never missed a single IPL game so far in his career and has been very consistent. He has scored over 350 runs in every season of the IPL. First eight years, he was the fulcrum of the batting line-up (at No. 3) of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and then when the CSK franchise were banned he continued the good work for Gujarat Lions (GL).

Being the highest run-getter in the IPL, Raina was always going to feature in this list of top chasers. Batting second, Raina has scored 1712 runs at a brilliant average of 48.91. His has the superb ability to control the innings after early wickets fall. He can also finish with a flourish when required. He is also brilliant in the field and can chip in with useful overs with the ball. Hence, he is a complete package and an asset to the team.

#2 Virat Kohli – 51.31

Kohli has been superb for RCB right from the start of the IPL.

Virat Kohli is currently known as the ‘Chase Master’ and arguably, he is currently one of the best chasers in world cricket. Also, he is one of the very few players who have played for the same franchise for 10 years.

Kohli joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) set-up after his exploits at the Under-19 level. And he has been simply brilliant for them over the last 10 years. In fact, until 2017, Kohli hadn’t missed a single game for RCB before a shoulder injury kept him out of the initial stages of IPL 10.

Kohli’s record is stupendous. He is the second on the list of leading IPL run-getters of all-time. He has scored 4414 runs at an average of 37.09. The 2016 IPL was simply magnificent for the current Indian captain. He scored a record 973 in a single season and single-handedly took RCB to the final. He scored 4 centuries in that season.

However, his numbers look even better while chasing. Batting second, he has scored 1488 runs in 52 innings at an excellent average of 51.31. His love for chases is such that Zaheer Khan once at the toss (in one of the IPL games in 2016) said that he didn’t want to risk batting first because of Kohli’s impact in chases.

Hence, Kohli is modern-day great and his ability to time a run-chase is second to none.

#1 Chris Gayle – 61.78

Chris Gayle is still one of the best entertainers on and off the field.

Christopher Henry Gayle is undoubtedly a T20 legend. His numbers in the shortest form of the game are colossal. He has over 11,000 runs in T20 cricket and is by far the highest run-scorer in the history of T20 cricket (with the next best being about 2500 runs behind). In 323 T20 games he’s played in his career, he averages 40.69 and he has scored 20 hundreds (which is again the highest).

In the IPL, he started off his career with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) decided to sign him in 2011. And since then he has been absolutely sensational. He has this unique ability to hit sixes at will. His IPL numbers are fabulous – 101 games, 3626 runs, 5 hundreds, 21 fifties. All this at a strike-rate of 151.21 and an average of 41.20.

Now, his numbers while batting second are even better. In 31 innings while chasing, Gayle has scored 1421 runs at an excellent average of 61.78. The big Jamaican who calls himself the ‘Universe Boss’ has the best average while chasing in the IPL.

And even though his ability is seemingly fading away, he is still one of the best entertainers on and off the field.