Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli IPL stats, quick answer: Virat Kohli is the far bigger run scorer, with almost 4,000 more IPL runs and nine hundreds. MS Dhoni is the greater winner and the better finisher, with five titles as captain and more playoff matches than almost anyone. They are great in different roles, so the answer depends on what you value.
- Matches: MS Dhoni 278, Virat Kohli 283
- Runs: MS Dhoni 5439 (SR 137.45), Virat Kohli 9336 (SR 134.80)
- IPL titles: MS Dhoni 5, Virat Kohli 2
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are the two biggest names in IPL history, and both have stayed loyal to one franchise for almost their entire careers. Yet they have done completely different jobs: Kohli as a top-order run machine for Royal Challengers, Dhoni as a lower-order finisher, wicketkeeper and captain of Chennai Super Kings. The comparison is less about who is better and more about what kind of greatness each represents.
MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 278 | 283 |
| Seasons | 18 | 19 |
| Runs | 5439 | 9336 |
| Average | 38.30 | 40.42 |
| Strike rate | 137.45 | 134.80 |
| Highest score | 84* | 113* |
| 100s / 50s | 0 / 24 | 9 / 68 |
| Fours | 375 | 844 |
| Sixes | 264 | 317 |
| Player of the match | 18 | 22 |
| Titles | 5 | 2 |
Per match, MS Dhoni has contributed 19.6 runs and Virat Kohli 33.0 runs. MS Dhoni has won player of the match once every 15.4 games, Virat Kohli once every 12.9.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 414 runs, SR 133.55 (16 m) | 165 runs, SR 105.10 (13 m) |
| 2009 | 332 runs, SR 127.20 (14 m) | 246 runs, SR 112.33 (16 m) |
| 2010 | 287 runs, SR 136.67 (13 m) | 307 runs, SR 144.81 (16 m) |
| 2011 | 392 runs, SR 158.70 (16 m) | 557 runs, SR 121.09 (16 m) |
| 2012 | 358 runs, SR 128.78 (19 m) | 364 runs, SR 111.66 (16 m) |
| 2013 | 461 runs, SR 162.90 (18 m) | 634 runs, SR 138.73 (16 m) |
| 2014 | 371 runs, SR 148.40 (16 m) | 359 runs, SR 122.11 (14 m) |
| 2015 | 372 runs, SR 121.97 (17 m) | 505 runs, SR 130.83 (16 m) |
| 2016 | 284 runs, SR 135.24 (14 m) | 973 runs, SR 152.03 (16 m) |
| 2017 | 290 runs, SR 116.00 (16 m) | 308 runs, SR 122.22 (10 m) |
| 2018 | 455 runs, SR 150.66 (16 m) | 530 runs, SR 139.11 (14 m) |
| 2019 | 416 runs, SR 134.63 (15 m) | 464 runs, SR 141.46 (14 m) |
| 2020 | 200 runs, SR 116.28 (14 m) | 466 runs, SR 121.35 (15 m) |
| 2021 | 114 runs, SR 106.54 (16 m) | 405 runs, SR 119.47 (15 m) |
| 2022 | 232 runs, SR 123.40 (14 m) | 341 runs, SR 115.99 (16 m) |
| 2023 | 104 runs, SR 182.46 (16 m) | 639 runs, SR 139.82 (14 m) |
| 2024 | 161 runs, SR 220.55 (14 m) | 741 runs, SR 154.70 (15 m) |
| 2025 | 196 runs, SR 135.17 (14 m) | 657 runs, SR 144.71 (15 m) |
| 2026 | – | 675 runs, SR 165.85 (16 m) |
- 2008: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 414 runs at a strike rate of 133.55; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 165 runs at a strike rate of 105.10.
- 2009: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 332 runs at a strike rate of 127.20; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 246 runs at a strike rate of 112.33.
- 2010: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 287 runs at a strike rate of 136.67; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 307 runs at a strike rate of 144.81.
- 2011: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 392 runs at a strike rate of 158.70; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 557 runs at a strike rate of 121.09.
- 2012: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 358 runs at a strike rate of 128.78; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 364 runs at a strike rate of 111.66.
- 2013: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 461 runs at a strike rate of 162.90; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 634 runs at a strike rate of 138.73.
- 2014: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 371 runs at a strike rate of 148.40; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 359 runs at a strike rate of 122.11.
- 2015: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 372 runs at a strike rate of 121.97; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 505 runs at a strike rate of 130.83.
- 2016: MS Dhoni (Rising Pune Supergiant) made 284 runs at a strike rate of 135.24; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 973 runs at a strike rate of 152.03.
- 2017: MS Dhoni (Rising Pune Supergiant) made 290 runs at a strike rate of 116.00; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 308 runs at a strike rate of 122.22.
- 2018: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 455 runs at a strike rate of 150.66; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 530 runs at a strike rate of 139.11.
- 2019: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 416 runs at a strike rate of 134.63; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 464 runs at a strike rate of 141.46.
- 2020: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 200 runs at a strike rate of 116.28; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 466 runs at a strike rate of 121.35.
- 2021: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 114 runs at a strike rate of 106.54; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 405 runs at a strike rate of 119.47.
- 2022: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 232 runs at a strike rate of 123.40; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 341 runs at a strike rate of 115.99.
- 2023: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 104 runs at a strike rate of 182.46; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 639 runs at a strike rate of 139.82.
- 2024: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 161 runs at a strike rate of 220.55; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.70.
- 2025: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 196 runs at a strike rate of 135.17; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71.
- 2026: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.85; MS Dhoni did not play.
They played in the same IPL season 18 times. In those seasons MS Dhoni finished with more runs 3 times and Virat Kohli 15 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | MS Dhoni runs (SR) | Virat Kohli runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 59 (81.9) | 3477 (129.5) |
| Middle (7-15) | 1912 (100.5) | 4286 (125.8) |
| Death (16-20) | 3468 (175.0) | 1573 (188.4) |
In the powerplay MS Dhoni scores at 81.9 and Virat Kohli at 129.5; at the death the figures are 175.0 and 188.4. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | MS Dhoni runs (SR) | Virat Kohli runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | – | 1174 (128.31) |
| Mumbai Indians | 772 (130.63) | 972 (128.74) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 906 (143.13) | – |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 574 (128.41) | 1126 (136.65) |
| Delhi Capitals | 739 (139.70) | 1172 (134.40) |
| Punjab Kings | 707 (152.04) | 1217 (133.59) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 585 (128.57) | 928 (125.58) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 500 (142.86) | 889 (144.32) |
| Gujarat Titans | 48 (154.84) | 578 (156.64) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 86 (286.67) | 242 (133.70) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 1819 runs, SR 141.56 | 3448 runs, SR 145.06 |
| Away | 2652 runs, SR 140.69 | 4325 runs, SR 134.19 |
| Neutral | 968 runs, SR 123.00 | 1563 runs, SR 117.87 |
Peak Seasons Compared
MS Dhoni’s best season was 2013 for Chennai Super Kings: 461 runs in 18 matches at an average of 41.91 and a strike rate of 162.90, with 0 hundreds and 4 fifties.
Virat Kohli’s best season was 2016 for Royal Challengers Bangalore: 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03, with 4 hundreds and 7 fifties.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 2013 (461), 2018 (455), 2019 (416) |
| Virat Kohli | 2016 (973), 2024 (741), 2026 (675) |
MS Dhoni: five best innings
- 84* off 48 balls for CSK against RCB, 21 Apr 2019. 21 Apr 2019, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: RCB batted first and made 161/7, led by Parthiv Patel 53 (37), with Deepak Chahar 2/25 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 160/8, MS Dhoni 84* (48) top-scoring as Dale Steyn 2/29 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 1 run. Player of the match: Parthiv Patel.
- 79* off 44 balls for CSK against PBKS, 15 Apr 2018. 15 Apr 2018, PCA Stadium, Mohali: PBKS batted first and made 197/7, led by Chris Gayle 63 (33), with Shardul Thakur 2/33 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 193/5, MS Dhoni 79* (44) top-scoring as Andrew Tye 2/47 did the damage for PBKS. PBKS won by 4 runs. Player of the match: Chris Gayle.
- 75* off 46 balls for CSK against RR, 31 Mar 2019. 31 Mar 2019, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk): CSK batted first and made 175/5, led by MS Dhoni 75* (46), with Jofra Archer 2/17 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 167/8, Ben Stokes 46 (26) top-scoring as Deepak Chahar 2/19 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 8 runs. Player of the match: MS Dhoni.
- 70* off 34 balls for CSK against RCB, 25 Apr 2018. 25 Apr 2018, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: RCB batted first and made 205/8, led by AB de Villiers 68 (30), with Dwayne Bravo 2/33 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 207/5, Ambati Rayudu 82 (53) top-scoring as Yuzvendra Chahal 2/26 did the damage for RCB. CSK won by 5 wickets. Player of the match: MS Dhoni.
- 70* off 40 balls for CSK against RCB, 22 May 2011. 22 May 2011, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: CSK batted first and made 128/8, led by MS Dhoni 70* (40), with Daniel Vettori 2/15 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 129/2, Chris Gayle 75* (50) top-scoring. RCB won by 8 wickets. Player of the match: Chris Gayle.
Virat Kohli: five best innings
- 113 off 50 balls for RCB against PBKS, 18 May 2016. 18 May 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: RCB batted first and made 211/3, led by Virat Kohli 113 (50). PBKS replied with 120/9, Wriddhiman Saha 24 (10) top-scoring as Yuzvendra Chahal 4/25 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 82 runs (DLS). Player of the match: Virat Kohli.
- 113* off 72 balls for RCB against RR, 6 Apr 2024. 6 Apr 2024, Sawai Mansingh Stadium: RCB batted first and made 183/3, led by Virat Kohli 113* (72), with Yuzvendra Chahal 2/34 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 189/4, Jos Buttler 100* (58) top-scoring as Reece Topley 2/27 did the damage for RCB. RR won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Jos Buttler.
- 109 off 55 balls for RCB against GL, 14 May 2016. 14 May 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: RCB batted first and made 248/3, led by AB de Villiers 129* (52), with Praveen Kumar 2/45 the pick of the GL bowlers. GL replied with 104, Aaron Finch 37 (38) top-scoring as Chris Jordan 4/11 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 144 runs. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
- 108* off 58 balls for RCB against RPS, 7 May 2016. 7 May 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: RPS batted first and made 191/6, led by Ajinkya Rahane 74 (48), with Shane Watson 3/24 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 195/3, Virat Kohli 108* (58) top-scoring as Adam Zampa 2/35 did the damage for RPS. RCB won by 7 wickets. Player of the match: Virat Kohli.
- 105* off 60 balls for RCB against KKR, 13 May 2026. 13 May 2026, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium: KKR batted first and made 192/4, led by Angkrish Raghuvanshi 71 (46). RCB replied with 194/4, Virat Kohli 105* (60) top-scoring as Kartik Tyagi 3/32 did the damage for KKR. RCB won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Virat Kohli.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 28 | 20 |
| Won | 18 | 10 |
| Runs | 523 | 514 |
| Strike rate | 132.07 | 130.46 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
| Finals played | 11 | 5 |
| Finals won | 5 | 2 |
MS Dhoni has played 28 playoff matches and Virat Kohli 20. In finals, MS Dhoni has 180 runs and Virat Kohli 214.
Their biggest knockout performances
- MS Dhoni, 2013 Final: 63* (45). 26 May 2013, Eden Gardens (Final): MI batted first and made 148/9, led by Kieron Pollard 60* (32), with Dwayne Bravo 4/42 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 125/9, MS Dhoni 63* (45) top-scoring as Harbhajan Singh 2/14 did the damage for MI. MI won by 23 runs. Player of the match: Kieron Pollard.
- MS Dhoni, 2012 Elimination Final: 51* (20). 23 May 2012, M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Elimination Final): CSK batted first and made 187/5, led by MS Dhoni 51* (20), with Dhawal Kulkarni 3/46 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 149/9, Dwayne Smith 38 (22) top-scoring as Dwayne Bravo 2/10 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 38 runs. Player of the match: MS Dhoni.
- MS Dhoni, 2014 Qualifier 2: 42* (31). 30 May 2014, Wankhede Stadium (Qualifier 2): PBKS batted first and made 226/6, led by Virender Sehwag 122 (58), with Ashish Nehra 2/51 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 202/7, Suresh Raina 87 (25) top-scoring as Parvinder Awana 2/59 did the damage for PBKS. PBKS won by 24 runs. Player of the match: Virender Sehwag.
- Virat Kohli, 2026 Final: 75* (42). 31 May 2026, Narendra Modi Stadium (Final): GT batted first and made 155/8, led by Washington Sundar 50* (37), with Rasikh Salam 3/27 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 161/5, Virat Kohli 75* (42) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 2/25 did the damage for GT. RCB won by 5 wickets. Player of the match: Virat Kohli.
- Virat Kohli, 2011 Qualifier 1: 70* (44), 0/19. 24 May 2011, Wankhede Stadium (Qualifier 1): RCB batted first and made 175/4, led by Virat Kohli 70* (44). CSK replied with 177/4, Suresh Raina 73* (50) top-scoring as Zaheer Khan 2/31 did the damage for RCB. CSK won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
- Virat Kohli, 2016 Final: 54 (35). 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.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have been on opposite sides in 38 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, MS Dhoni’s team won 23 and Virat Kohli’s team won 14.
| In head-to-head matches | MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 906 | 1393 |
| Strike rate | 143.13 | 130.31 |
| Wickets | 0 | 1 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| MS Dhoni | Virat Kohli | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 | 2025, 2026 |
| Caps | None | Orange Cap 2016, Orange Cap 2024 |
| Player of the match | 18 | 22 |
Dhoni captained Chennai Super Kings from the first season and led them to all five of their titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023). He also captained Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 while Chennai were suspended. Kohli was Royal Challengers’ full-time captain from 2013 to 2021 and led them to the 2016 final. He did not win the title as captain; both of his IPL titles came as a player, in 2025 and 2026.
Where Each One Is Genuinely Better
- Kohli is better at: run-scoring volume, consistency and hundreds. He is the IPL’s all-time leading run scorer, holds the single-season record of 973 runs from 2016, and has two Orange Caps.
- Dhoni is better at: finishing games, captaincy and winning knockout matches. He has played more playoff matches than Kohli and led Chennai to five titles.
- Strike rate: Dhoni’s career strike rate is a little higher, which reflects his role batting in the final overs rather than greater power.
The Honest Verdict
As a batter, Kohli is the more productive player by a distance. As an IPL cricketer, Dhoni’s influence on results, through captaincy, keeping and finishing, is unmatched. If you are picking a team to win one final, Dhoni’s record in big games makes him hard to leave out; if you want the man to score the runs over a whole season, it is Kohli.
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, MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli is the far bigger run scorer, with almost 4,000 more IPL runs and nine hundreds. MS Dhoni is the greater winner and the better finisher, with five titles as captain and more playoff matches than almost anyone. They are great in different roles, so the answer depends on what you value.
Who has scored more IPL runs, MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli, with 9336 runs to 5439.
Have MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.