Kohli achieved the milestone of 9,000 IPL runs during RCB's nine-wicket win over DC.
Virat Kohli cemented his status as the IPL's most prolific batter on Monday (April 27), by becoming the first player in league’s history to score 9,000 runs.
Kohli achieved the milestone during a dominant 9-wicket victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The veteran batter entered the match needing 11 runs and reached the landmark after facing 12 balls. He finished the match unbeaten on 23 off 15 balls, helping his team chase down the paltry target of 76 with back-to-back sixes.
Following his knock against DC, Kohli’s career total stands at 9,012 IPL runs in 275 matches and 267 innings at an average of 40.05 and a strike rate of 133.80, including eight centuries and 66 fifties, with a best score of 113*.
Although Virat Kohli is already 37, former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan has not doubt that the RCB talisman will achieve the feat of 10,000 IPL runs. He hailed Kohli as the greatest IPL batter for his evolution from a lower-order batter to a dominant opener.
“Virat Kohli has been incredibly consistent. Scoring 9000 IPL runs against the world’s best bowlers is no easy task. It's about hunger, discipline, and adapting every year, and that’s what brings the best out of him,” McClenaghan said while speaking on JioHotstar.
“He has been in the IPL since 2008, and the best part is that he didn’t start his career as an opener. He batted in the lower middle order, fought for his place, then moved to number three. Later, he opened with Chris Gayle. That changed his game completely. He will soon reach 10,000 runs, without a doubt. Kohli is the greatest batter the IPL has ever seen, not just for the runs, but for how he has evolved and dominated across different eras,” he added.
Virat Kohli is currently fourth in the IPL 2026 Orange Cap race, with 351 runs in eight innings at an average of 58.50 and a strike rate of 162.50, including three fifties and a best score of 81.