Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Quick answer: the fairest IPL player comparison puts two players of the same role side by side and looks at three things together: how much they did (runs or wickets and matches), how fast they did it (strike rate or economy), and what it was worth (titles and big matches). On that basis, Virat Kohli (9336 runs at a strike rate of 134.80) and Rohit Sharma (7329 at 132.92) are close on speed, but Kohli has scored 2,007 more runs and Rohit has won four more titles as a player. This hub explains how to compare IPL players, why averages mislead in T20, and lists every comparison page on the site.
How to Compare IPL Players Fairly
Most arguments about IPL players go wrong because the two players are not measured on the same terms. Before looking at any number, set out the ground rules.
- Compare the same role. A fast bowler and a spinner, or an opener and a finisher, do different jobs. Our comparison pages pair batters with batters, bowlers with bowlers and all-rounders with all-rounders.
- Use the same competition. Every figure on our pages is from the IPL only. International records are left out.
- Look at volume and rate together. Runs and wickets show how much a player did. Strike rate and economy show how quickly and how cheaply.
- Check the sample size. A player with 83 matches and a player with 283 are not on equal footing, however good the first looks.
- Allow for the era. Scoring has risen sharply since 2023, so a strike rate of 140 means something different in 2012 and in 2026.
- Add context. Titles, playoff matches and the team a player batted or bowled for all affect the story the numbers tell.
Why Averages Mislead in T20
The batting average is runs divided by the number of times a player was dismissed. In Test cricket it is the main measure of a batter. In T20 it can mislead for two reasons.
First, a T20 batter often finishes not out, because the innings ends when the overs run out. Being not out is a result of when a batter came in as well as how well he played, and it lifts the average without adding to the runs. Second, average says nothing about speed. A batter who scores at 175 runs per 100 balls and gets out often can be worth more than one who scores at 135 and almost never gets out.
Our data shows the problem clearly. These four batters all appear in our comparison pages.
| Batter | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike rate | Runs per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | 142 | 4965 | 39.72 | 148.96 | 34.96 |
| AB de Villiers | 184 | 5162 | 39.71 | 151.69 | 28.05 |
| Andre Russell | 140 | 2651 | 28.20 | 174.18 | 18.94 |
| Rohit Sharma | 281 | 7329 | 29.91 | 132.92 | 26.08 |
Gayle and de Villiers have the same average (about 39.7), but de Villiers scored 2.7 runs faster per 100 balls. Russell’s average of 28.20 looks modest next to theirs, yet his strike rate of 174.18 is the highest of the four by more than 22 runs per 100 balls. Rohit Sharma’s average and strike rate are the lowest of the four, but he played about twice as many matches as Gayle or Russell, which is why his total of 7329 runs is the largest in the group.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
No single number is enough, but a handful of simple measures cover most of the story.
| Metric | What it tells you | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Runs and wickets | How much a player contributed over a career | Favours players who have played more matches |
| Matches played | The size of the sample | A short career can make any rate look impressive |
| Runs per match | A volume measure that adjusts for career length | Counts matches where the player did not bat or bowl |
| Wickets per match | The bowling equivalent of runs per match | Counts matches where the player bowled little |
| Strike rate | Runs scored per 100 balls faced | A high rate with few runs can mean a limited role |
| Average | Runs per dismissal | Inflated by not-outs; says nothing about speed |
| Economy rate | Runs conceded per over | A low economy with few wickets can mean a defensive role |
| Titles | Success in winning the tournament | Depends heavily on the team around the player |
Wickets per match for the leading bowlers
Wickets per match is a good way to compare bowlers with different career lengths. These are the leading bowlers that appear in our comparison pages.
| Bowler | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Wickets per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasith Malinga | 122 | 170 | 7.14 | 1.39 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 188 | 233 | 8.05 | 1.24 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 187 | 7.34 | 1.18 |
| Rashid Khan | 153 | 179 | 7.28 | 1.17 |
| Sunil Narine | 202 | 207 | 6.79 | 1.02 |
Malinga takes a wicket more often than any of the others (1.39 per match), while Narine has the lowest economy (6.79) but the lowest wickets per match of the five (1.02). Chahal has the most wickets and a rate of 1.24 per match, with the highest economy of the group at 8.05. Each bowler gives a different answer, which is why one number is never enough.
Common mistakes when comparing players
- Comparing totals across different career lengths. A player with 283 matches will usually have more runs than one with 140. Divide by matches, or use a rate, before drawing conclusions.
- Treating average as the whole story. In T20 it ignores speed and is lifted by not-outs.
- Ignoring the era. A strike rate that was outstanding in 2012 is closer to the norm now.
- Mixing roles. An opener faces the new ball and a finisher may face ten deliveries, so their numbers answer different questions.
- Reading too much into a short career. A player with 83 matches has far more room for his numbers to move than one with 280.
- Giving all the credit for titles to one player. A title belongs to a squad, so use it as context rather than as proof of individual quality.
A Worked Comparison: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
This is the most common IPL player comparison, so it is a good test of the method.
| Measure | Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 283 | 281 |
| Runs | 9336 | 7329 |
| Average | 40.42 | 29.91 |
| Strike rate | 134.80 | 132.92 |
| Hundreds | 9 | 2 |
| Sixes | 317 | 324 |
| Runs per match | 32.99 | 26.08 |
| Titles as a player | 2 | 6 |
| Titles as captain | 0 | 5 |
- Same role, same competition. Both are Indian top-order batters, and both figures are from the IPL.
- Volume. They played almost the same number of matches, 283 and 281, but Kohli scored 2,007 more runs, 33.0 a match against 26.1.
- Rate. Their strike rates are close, 134.80 against 132.92. Kohli is slightly faster, and his average is more than 10 runs higher.
- Power. Rohit has hit slightly more sixes, 324 to 317, in about the same number of matches, but Kohli has scored seven more hundreds.
- Success. Rohit has six titles as a player and five as captain. Kohli has two, both with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and 2026, and no title as captain.
The result depends on what you value. If the question is who scored more runs, more consistently, the answer is Kohli. If the question is who has won more, the answer is Rohit. Our full Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma page goes through the numbers in detail.
Other Worked Examples
When sample size matters: Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal
| Measure | Shubman Gill | Yashasvi Jaiswal |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 134 | 83 |
| Runs | 4598 | 2593 |
| Strike rate | 142.09 | 152.80 |
| Runs per match | 34.31 | 31.24 |
Gill has scored more runs per match (34.31 against 31.24) over a much longer career, while Jaiswal scores faster (152.80 against 142.09). The 51-match gap means Gill’s numbers are more settled, which is a reason to be cautious about reading too much into Jaiswal’s strike rate.
All-rounders: Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard
| Measure | Andre Russell | Kieron Pollard |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 140 | 189 |
| Runs | 2651 | 3412 |
| Strike rate | 174.18 | 147.32 |
| Wickets | 123 | 69 |
| Economy | 9.51 | 8.79 |
| Wickets per match | 0.88 | 0.37 |
| Titles as a player | 1 | 5 |
Russell scores faster and takes far more wickets per match, 0.88 against 0.37, but Pollard has five titles to his one, with Mumbai Indians. This is a clear case of volume, rate and success pointing in different directions.
Runs per match across the batters in our comparisons
Runs per match is a way to put batters with very different career lengths on the same footing. The table covers every batter who appears on a comparison page.
| Rank | Batter | Matches | Runs | Runs per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KL Rahul | 159 | 5815 | 36.57 |
| 2 | David Warner | 184 | 6565 | 35.68 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | 142 | 4965 | 34.96 |
| 4 | Shubman Gill | 134 | 4598 | 34.31 |
| 5 | Virat Kohli | 283 | 9336 | 32.99 |
| 6 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | 83 | 2593 | 31.24 |
| 7 | Shikhar Dhawan | 222 | 6769 | 30.49 |
| 8 | AB de Villiers | 184 | 5162 | 28.05 |
| 9 | Rishabh Pant | 139 | 3865 | 27.81 |
| 10 | Suresh Raina | 205 | 5528 | 26.97 |
| 11 | Rohit Sharma | 281 | 7329 | 26.08 |
| 12 | MS Dhoni | 278 | 5439 | 19.56 |
| 13 | Andre Russell | 140 | 2651 | 18.94 |
| 14 | Hardik Pandya | 162 | 2955 | 18.24 |
| 15 | Kieron Pollard | 189 | 3412 | 18.05 |
| 16 | Ravindra Jadeja | 268 | 3526 | 13.16 |
KL Rahul (36.57), David Warner (35.68) and Chris Gayle (34.96) lead on this measure, ahead of Shubman Gill (34.31) and Virat Kohli (32.99). The measure favours openers, who bat in almost every match, and it penalises all-rounders and finishers such as Ravindra Jadeja (13.16) and MS Dhoni (19.56), who bat low in the order or not at all. That is why it is a starting point and not a verdict.
A worked example: Virat Kohli and David Warner
| Measure | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 283 | 184 |
| Runs | 9336 | 6565 |
| Average | 40.42 | 40.52 |
| Strike rate | 134.80 | 139.77 |
| Runs per match | 32.99 | 35.68 |
| Titles as a player | 2 | 1 |
Kohli has scored 2,771 more runs, but Warner scores more runs per match (35.68 against 32.99), has a slightly higher average (40.52 against 40.42) and a faster strike rate (139.77 against 134.80). The volume belongs to Kohli, who played 99 more matches, and the rate belongs to Warner. Neither measure alone tells you which was the better batter, and the comparison shows why you need both.
A worked example: Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga
| Measure | Jasprit Bumrah | Lasith Malinga |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 158 | 122 |
| Wickets | 187 | 170 |
| Economy | 7.34 | 7.14 |
| Wickets per match | 1.18 | 1.39 |
| Titles as a player | 3 | 4 |
Bumrah has taken 17 more wickets, but he has played 36 more matches. Malinga takes more wickets per match (1.39 against 1.18) and has a slightly better economy (7.14 against 7.34), and he has one more title. On rate, Malinga is ahead. On volume, Bumrah is ahead, and his career may still add to it.
Why the Era Matters
Scoring in the IPL has risen sharply since the Impact Player rule arrived in 2023. Our analysis of the rule, in The Impact Player Rule Explained, shows how large the change is.
| Measure | 2020 to 2022 | 2023 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Average first-innings total | 167.0 | 189.7 |
| Run rate (both innings) | 8.31 | 9.52 |
| Powerplay runs per over (off the bat) | 7.30 | 8.94 |
The average first-innings total is about 23 runs higher, and the powerplay scoring rate off the bat has risen by more than 1.6 runs an over. That means a strike rate of 140 is worth less now than in 2022, so comparing a player from the first decade with one from the last four seasons needs care. When both players come from the same era, a direct comparison is safer.
Directory of Every IPL Player Comparison Page
All 18 comparison pages are listed below, with the headline numbers each one starts from.
| Comparison | Headline measure | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle vs AB de Villiers | Runs | 4965 v 5162 |
| MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli | Runs | 5439 v 9336 |
| Rohit Sharma vs MS Dhoni | Runs | 7329 v 5439 |
| Virat Kohli vs AB de Villiers | Runs | 9336 v 5162 |
| Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma | Runs | 9336 v 7329 |
| Andre Russell vs Kieron Pollard | Runs | 2651 v 3412 |
| David Warner vs Chris Gayle | Runs | 6565 v 4965 |
| Hardik Pandya vs Ravindra Jadeja | Runs | 2955 v 3526 |
| Jasprit Bumrah vs Lasith Malinga | Wickets | 187 v 170 |
| Jasprit Bumrah vs Rashid Khan | Wickets | 187 v 179 |
| KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant | Runs | 5815 v 3865 |
| Rishabh Pant vs MS Dhoni | Runs | 3865 v 5439 |
| Shikhar Dhawan vs David Warner | Runs | 6769 v 6565 |
| Shubman Gill vs Yashasvi Jaiswal | Runs | 4598 v 2593 |
| Sunil Narine vs Rashid Khan | Wickets | 207 v 179 |
| Suresh Raina vs Virat Kohli | Runs | 5528 v 9336 |
| Virat Kohli vs David Warner | Runs | 9336 v 6565 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal vs Rashid Khan | Wickets | 233 v 179 |
The bowling comparisons use wickets and economy, and the batting comparisons use runs and strike rate. For individual career numbers, see the IPL player stats hub.
Related guides: greatest IPL XIs, IPL captaincy records, IPL records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the better IPL player, Kohli or Rohit?
It depends on the measure. Virat Kohli has scored more runs (9336 against 7329), has a higher average (40.42 against 29.91) and has hit more hundreds (nine against two). Rohit Sharma has won more titles, six as a player and five as captain, against Kohli’s two as a player. Their strike rates are close, 134.80 and 132.92.
How do you compare T20 batters?
Look at runs and matches for volume, strike rate for speed, and average with caution, because not-outs inflate it. Then add runs per match, titles and the era. Compare players of the same role, using IPL numbers only, and be careful with small samples.
Why is batting average misleading in T20?
Because T20 batters often finish not out, which lifts the average without adding to the runs, and because average says nothing about how fast a player scores. Two batters with the same average can be very different in strike rate, as Chris Gayle (148.96) and AB de Villiers (151.69) show.
Who has more IPL runs, Kohli or Rohit?
Virat Kohli has more IPL runs, 9336 against 7329 for Rohit Sharma, a gap of 2,007 runs. They played almost the same number of matches (283 and 281), so Kohli also scores more per match, 33.0 against 26.1.
Who is the better bowler, Bumrah or Malinga?
Jasprit Bumrah has more wickets (187 against 170), but Lasith Malinga has the better rate, 1.39 wickets per match against 1.18, and a slightly better economy (7.14 against 7.34). Malinga also won more titles, four against three.
What is runs per match, and why use it?
Runs per match is a player’s total runs divided by matches played. It puts batters with different career lengths on the same footing, but it counts matches in which the player did not bat.
How do you compare IPL bowlers?
Use wickets for volume, economy for control, and wickets per match to adjust for career length. Lasith Malinga takes 1.39 wickets per match, Yuzvendra Chahal 1.24, Jasprit Bumrah 1.18, Rashid Khan 1.17 and Sunil Narine 1.02, but Narine has the lowest economy of the five at 6.79.