Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant IPL stats, quick answer: KL Rahul has scored almost 2,000 more IPL runs than Rishabh Pant at a much higher average, with six hundreds to Pant’s two. Pant scores faster. Rahul is the more consistent batter; Pant is the more explosive.
- Matches: KL Rahul 159, Rishabh Pant 139
- Runs: KL Rahul 5815 (SR 139.15), Rishabh Pant 3865 (SR 146.79)
- IPL titles: KL Rahul 0, Rishabh Pant 0
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are wicketkeeper-batters and captains who have led several franchises, and they have been compared throughout their careers. Rahul has been an opener built on consistency; Pant a middle-order counter-attacker. In 2025 they swapped franchises, with Pant moving to Lucknow and Rahul to Delhi.
KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 159 | 139 |
| Seasons | 13 | 10 |
| Runs | 5815 | 3865 |
| Average | 46.15 | 33.61 |
| Strike rate | 139.15 | 146.79 |
| Highest score | 152* | 128* |
| 100s / 50s | 6 / 45 | 2 / 20 |
| Fours | 508 | 349 |
| Sixes | 239 | 181 |
| Player of the match | 17 | 8 |
| Titles | 0 | 0 |
Per match, KL Rahul has contributed 36.6 runs and Rishabh Pant 27.8 runs. KL Rahul has won player of the match once every 9.4 games, Rishabh Pant once every 17.4.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20 runs, SR 125.00 (5 m) | – |
| 2014 | 166 runs, SR 101.22 (11 m) | – |
| 2015 | 142 runs, SR 112.70 (9 m) | – |
| 2016 | 397 runs, SR 146.49 (14 m) | 198 runs, SR 130.26 (10 m) |
| 2017 | – | 366 runs, SR 165.61 (14 m) |
| 2018 | 659 runs, SR 158.41 (14 m) | 684 runs, SR 173.60 (14 m) |
| 2019 | 593 runs, SR 135.39 (14 m) | 488 runs, SR 162.67 (16 m) |
| 2020 | 670 runs, SR 129.34 (14 m) | 343 runs, SR 113.95 (14 m) |
| 2021 | 626 runs, SR 138.80 (13 m) | 419 runs, SR 128.53 (16 m) |
| 2022 | 616 runs, SR 135.38 (15 m) | 340 runs, SR 151.79 (14 m) |
| 2023 | 274 runs, SR 113.22 (9 m) | – |
| 2024 | 520 runs, SR 136.13 (14 m) | 446 runs, SR 155.40 (13 m) |
| 2025 | 539 runs, SR 149.72 (13 m) | 269 runs, SR 133.17 (14 m) |
| 2026 | 593 runs, SR 174.41 (14 m) | 312 runs, SR 138.05 (14 m) |
- 2013: KL Rahul (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 20 runs at a strike rate of 125.00; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2014: KL Rahul (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 166 runs at a strike rate of 101.22; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2015: KL Rahul (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 142 runs at a strike rate of 112.70; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2016: KL Rahul (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 397 runs at a strike rate of 146.49; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 198 runs at a strike rate of 130.26.
- 2017: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 366 runs at a strike rate of 165.61; KL Rahul did not play.
- 2018: KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) made 659 runs at a strike rate of 158.41; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 684 runs at a strike rate of 173.60.
- 2019: KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) made 593 runs at a strike rate of 135.39; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 488 runs at a strike rate of 162.67.
- 2020: KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) made 670 runs at a strike rate of 129.34; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 343 runs at a strike rate of 113.95.
- 2021: KL Rahul (Punjab Kings) made 626 runs at a strike rate of 138.80; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 419 runs at a strike rate of 128.53.
- 2022: KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) made 616 runs at a strike rate of 135.38; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 340 runs at a strike rate of 151.79.
- 2023: KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) made 274 runs at a strike rate of 113.22; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2024: KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) made 520 runs at a strike rate of 136.13; Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40.
- 2025: KL Rahul (Delhi Capitals) made 539 runs at a strike rate of 149.72; Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) made 269 runs at a strike rate of 133.17.
- 2026: KL Rahul (Delhi Capitals) made 593 runs at a strike rate of 174.41; Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) made 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.05.
They played in the same IPL season 9 times. In those seasons KL Rahul finished with more runs 8 times and Rishabh Pant 1 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | KL Rahul runs (SR) | Rishabh Pant runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 2424 (128.7) | 476 (118.1) |
| Middle (7-15) | 2484 (138.8) | 2294 (135.7) |
| Death (16-20) | 907 (178.9) | 1095 (202.8) |
In the powerplay KL Rahul scores at 128.7 and Rishabh Pant at 118.1; at the death the figures are 178.9 and 202.8. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | KL Rahul runs (SR) | Rishabh Pant runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 660 (142.24) | 453 (151.00) |
| Mumbai Indians | 977 (135.13) | 423 (138.24) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 840 (145.08) | 572 (160.22) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 605 (142.69) | 437 (141.88) |
| Delhi Capitals | 425 (141.20) | 7 (41.18) |
| Punjab Kings | 413 (163.24) | 287 (124.78) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 882 (135.28) | 438 (154.23) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 519 (123.87) | 626 (143.25) |
| Gujarat Titans | 341 (142.08) | 202 (171.19) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 57 (132.56) | 157 (138.94) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 1905 runs, SR 142.80 | 1316 runs, SR 154.64 |
| Away | 1880 runs, SR 143.62 | 1447 runs, SR 155.42 |
| Neutral | 2030 runs, SR 132.16 | 1102 runs, SR 129.49 |
Peak Seasons Compared
KL Rahul’s best season was 2020 for Kings XI Punjab: 670 runs in 14 matches at an average of 55.83 and a strike rate of 129.34, with 1 hundred and 5 fifties.
Rishabh Pant’s best season was 2018 for Delhi Daredevils: 684 runs in 14 matches at an average of 52.62 and a strike rate of 173.60, with 1 hundred and 5 fifties.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| KL Rahul | 2020 (670), 2018 (659), 2021 (626) |
| Rishabh Pant | 2018 (684), 2019 (488), 2024 (446) |
KL Rahul: five best innings
- 152* off 67 balls for DC against PBKS, 25 Apr 2026. 25 Apr 2026, Arun Jaitley Stadium: DC batted first and made 264/2, led by KL Rahul 152* (67). PBKS replied with 265/4, Prabhsimran Singh 76 (26) top-scoring as Kuldeep Yadav 2/46 did the damage for DC. PBKS won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: KL Rahul.
- 132* off 69 balls for PBKS against RCB, 24 Sep 2020. 24 Sep 2020, Dubai International Cricket Stadium: PBKS batted first and made 206/3, led by KL Rahul 132* (69), with Shivam Dube 2/33 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 109, Washington Sundar 30 (27) top-scoring as Murugan Ashwin 3/21 did the damage for PBKS. PBKS won by 97 runs. Player of the match: KL Rahul.
- 112* off 65 balls for DC against GT, 18 May 2025. 18 May 2025, Arun Jaitley Stadium: DC batted first and made 199/3, led by KL Rahul 112* (65). GT replied with 205/0, Sai Sudharsan 108* (61) top-scoring. GT won by 10 wickets. Player of the match: Sai Sudharsan.
- 103* off 60 balls for LSG against MI, 16 Apr 2022. 16 Apr 2022, Brabourne Stadium: LSG batted first and made 199/4, led by KL Rahul 103* (60), with Jaydev Unadkat 2/32 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 181/9, Suryakumar Yadav 37 (27) top-scoring as Avesh Khan 3/30 did the damage for LSG. LSG won by 18 runs. Player of the match: KL Rahul.
- 103* off 62 balls for LSG against MI, 24 Apr 2022. 24 Apr 2022, Wankhede Stadium: LSG batted first and made 168/6, led by KL Rahul 103* (62), with Kieron Pollard 2/8 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 132/8, Rohit Sharma 39 (31) top-scoring as Krunal Pandya 3/19 did the damage for LSG. LSG won by 36 runs. Player of the match: KL Rahul.
Rishabh Pant: five best innings
- 128* off 63 balls for DC against SRH, 10 May 2018. 10 May 2018, Arun Jaitley Stadium: DC batted first and made 187/5, led by Rishabh Pant 128* (63), with Shakib Al Hasan 2/27 the pick of the SRH bowlers. SRH replied with 191/1, Shikhar Dhawan 92* (50) top-scoring. SRH won by 9 wickets. Player of the match: Shikhar Dhawan.
- 118* off 61 balls for LSG against RCB, 27 May 2025. 27 May 2025, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium: LSG batted first and made 227/3, led by Rishabh Pant 118* (61). RCB replied with 230/4, Jitesh Sharma 85* (33) top-scoring as Will O’Rourke 2/74 did the damage for LSG. RCB won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Jitesh Sharma.
- 97 off 43 balls for DC against GL, 4 May 2017. 4 May 2017, Feroz Shah Kotla: GL batted first and made 208/7, led by Suresh Raina 77 (43), with Kagiso Rabada 2/28 the pick of the DC bowlers. DC replied with 214/3, Rishabh Pant 97 (43) top-scoring. DC won by 7 wickets. Player of the match: Rishabh Pant.
- 88* off 43 balls for DC against GT, 24 Apr 2024. 24 Apr 2024, Arun Jaitley Stadium: DC batted first and made 224/4, led by Rishabh Pant 88* (43), with Sandeep Warrier 3/15 the pick of the GT bowlers. GT replied with 220/8, Sai Sudharsan 65 (39) top-scoring as Rasikh Salam 3/44 did the damage for DC. DC won by 4 runs. Player of the match: Rishabh Pant.
- 85 off 48 balls for DC against RCB, 21 Apr 2018. 21 Apr 2018, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: DC batted first and made 174/5, led by Rishabh Pant 85 (48), with Yuzvendra Chahal 2/22 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 176/4, AB de Villiers 90* (39) top-scoring. RCB won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 3 | 7 |
| Won | 1 | 2 |
| Runs | 90 | 205 |
| Strike rate | 132.35 | 149.64 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
| Finals played | 1 | 1 |
| Finals won | 0 | 0 |
KL Rahul has played 3 playoff matches and Rishabh Pant 7. In finals, KL Rahul has 11 runs and Rishabh Pant 56.
Their biggest knockout performances
- KL Rahul, 2022 Eliminator: 79 (58). 25 May 2022, Eden Gardens (Eliminator): RCB batted first and made 207/4, led by Rajat Patidar 112* (54). LSG replied with 193/6, KL Rahul 79 (58) top-scoring as Josh Hazlewood 3/43 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 14 runs. Player of the match: Rajat Patidar.
- KL Rahul, 2016 Final: 11 (9). 29 May 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Final): SRH batted first and made 208/7, led by David Warner 69 (38), with Chris Jordan 3/45 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 200/7, Chris Gayle 76 (38) top-scoring as Ben Cutting 2/35 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 8 runs. Player of the match: Ben Cutting.
- KL Rahul, 2016 Qualifier 1: 0 (1). 24 May 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Qualifier 1): GL batted first and made 158, led by Dwayne Smith 73 (41), with Shane Watson 4/29 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 159/6, AB de Villiers 79* (47) top-scoring as Dhawal Kulkarni 4/14 did the damage for GL. RCB won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
- Rishabh Pant, 2020 Final: 56 (38). 10 Nov 2020, Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Final): DC batted first and made 156/7, led by Shreyas Iyer 65* (50), with Trent Boult 3/30 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 157/5, Rohit Sharma 68 (51) top-scoring as Anrich Nortje 2/25 did the damage for DC. MI won by 5 wickets. Player of the match: Trent Boult.
- Rishabh Pant, 2021 Qualifier 1: 51* (35). 10 Oct 2021, Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Qualifier 1): DC batted first and made 172/5, led by Prithvi Shaw 60 (34), with Josh Hazlewood 2/29 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 173/6, Ruturaj Gaikwad 70 (50) top-scoring as Tom Curran 3/29 did the damage for DC. CSK won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: Ruturaj Gaikwad.
- Rishabh Pant, 2019 Eliminator: 49 (21). 8 May 2019, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium (Eliminator): SRH batted first and made 162/8, led by Martin Guptill 36 (19), with Keemo Paul 3/32 the pick of the DC bowlers. DC replied with 165/8, Prithvi Shaw 56 (38) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 2/15 did the damage for SRH. DC won by 2 wickets. Player of the match: Rishabh Pant.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been on opposite sides in 14 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, KL Rahul’s team won 9 and Rishabh Pant’s team won 5.
| In head-to-head matches | KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 438 | 302 |
| Strike rate | 146.49 | 123.77 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| KL Rahul | Rishabh Pant | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | None | None |
| Caps | Orange Cap 2020 | None |
| Player of the match | 17 | 8 |
Rahul captained Punjab Kings in 2020 and 2021 and Lucknow Super Giants from 2022 to 2024, taking Lucknow to the playoffs in their first two seasons. Pant captained Delhi Capitals from 2021 to 2024 (missing 2023 through injury) and became Lucknow Super Giants captain in 2025.
Where Each One Is Genuinely Better
- Rahul is better at: heavy, consistent run scoring at the top of the order. He has passed 600 runs in a season several times.
- Pant is better at: scoring quickly in the middle overs and at the death, and taking on spin.
- Playoffs: Pant has more playoff experience and a better strike rate in those games; Rahul’s teams have reached the knockouts less often.
The Honest Verdict
By career numbers Rahul is the stronger batter. Pant’s value lies in the speed at which he changes games. If you need runs, Rahul; if you need tempo, Pant.
Related: most sixes in IPL history, most wickets in IPL history, Orange Cap winners, Purple Cap winners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is better in the IPL, KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant?
KL Rahul has scored almost 2,000 more IPL runs than Rishabh Pant at a much higher average, with six hundreds to Pant’s two. Pant scores faster. Rahul is the more consistent batter; Pant is the more explosive.
Who has scored more IPL runs, KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant?
KL Rahul, with 5815 runs to 3865.
Have KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.