Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Rishabh Pant vs MS Dhoni IPL stats, quick answer: MS Dhoni has more IPL runs, a higher average and five titles; Rishabh Pant scores faster and has hit two hundreds. Dhoni’s record is the more complete; Pant is the more aggressive batter.
- Matches: Rishabh Pant 139, MS Dhoni 278
- Runs: Rishabh Pant 3865 (SR 146.79), MS Dhoni 5439 (SR 137.45)
- IPL titles: Rishabh Pant 0, MS Dhoni 5
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
Rishabh Pant has often been called the successor to MS Dhoni as India’s great wicketkeeper-batter, so the comparison is natural. Both are captains and finishers, though Pant usually bats higher in the order.
Rishabh Pant vs MS Dhoni IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 139 | 278 |
| Seasons | 10 | 18 |
| Runs | 3865 | 5439 |
| Average | 33.61 | 38.30 |
| Strike rate | 146.79 | 137.45 |
| Highest score | 128* | 84* |
| 100s / 50s | 2 / 20 | 0 / 24 |
| Fours | 349 | 375 |
| Sixes | 181 | 264 |
| Player of the match | 8 | 18 |
| Titles | 0 | 5 |
Per match, Rishabh Pant has contributed 27.8 runs and MS Dhoni 19.6 runs. Rishabh Pant has won player of the match once every 17.4 games, MS Dhoni once every 15.4.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | – | 414 runs, SR 133.55 (16 m) |
| 2009 | – | 332 runs, SR 127.20 (14 m) |
| 2010 | – | 287 runs, SR 136.67 (13 m) |
| 2011 | – | 392 runs, SR 158.70 (16 m) |
| 2012 | – | 358 runs, SR 128.78 (19 m) |
| 2013 | – | 461 runs, SR 162.90 (18 m) |
| 2014 | – | 371 runs, SR 148.40 (16 m) |
| 2015 | – | 372 runs, SR 121.97 (17 m) |
| 2016 | 198 runs, SR 130.26 (10 m) | 284 runs, SR 135.24 (14 m) |
| 2017 | 366 runs, SR 165.61 (14 m) | 290 runs, SR 116.00 (16 m) |
| 2018 | 684 runs, SR 173.60 (14 m) | 455 runs, SR 150.66 (16 m) |
| 2019 | 488 runs, SR 162.67 (16 m) | 416 runs, SR 134.63 (15 m) |
| 2020 | 343 runs, SR 113.95 (14 m) | 200 runs, SR 116.28 (14 m) |
| 2021 | 419 runs, SR 128.53 (16 m) | 114 runs, SR 106.54 (16 m) |
| 2022 | 340 runs, SR 151.79 (14 m) | 232 runs, SR 123.40 (14 m) |
| 2023 | – | 104 runs, SR 182.46 (16 m) |
| 2024 | 446 runs, SR 155.40 (13 m) | 161 runs, SR 220.55 (14 m) |
| 2025 | 269 runs, SR 133.17 (14 m) | 196 runs, SR 135.17 (14 m) |
| 2026 | 312 runs, SR 138.05 (14 m) | – |
- 2008: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 414 runs at a strike rate of 133.55; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2009: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 332 runs at a strike rate of 127.20; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2010: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 287 runs at a strike rate of 136.67; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2011: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 392 runs at a strike rate of 158.70; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2012: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 358 runs at a strike rate of 128.78; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2013: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 461 runs at a strike rate of 162.90; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2014: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 371 runs at a strike rate of 148.40; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2015: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 372 runs at a strike rate of 121.97; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2016: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 198 runs at a strike rate of 130.26; MS Dhoni (Rising Pune Supergiant) made 284 runs at a strike rate of 135.24.
- 2017: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 366 runs at a strike rate of 165.61; MS Dhoni (Rising Pune Supergiant) made 290 runs at a strike rate of 116.00.
- 2018: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils) made 684 runs at a strike rate of 173.60; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 455 runs at a strike rate of 150.66.
- 2019: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 488 runs at a strike rate of 162.67; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 416 runs at a strike rate of 134.63.
- 2020: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 343 runs at a strike rate of 113.95; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 200 runs at a strike rate of 116.28.
- 2021: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 419 runs at a strike rate of 128.53; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 114 runs at a strike rate of 106.54.
- 2022: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 340 runs at a strike rate of 151.79; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 232 runs at a strike rate of 123.40.
- 2023: MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 104 runs at a strike rate of 182.46; Rishabh Pant did not play.
- 2024: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) made 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 161 runs at a strike rate of 220.55.
- 2025: Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) made 269 runs at a strike rate of 133.17; MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) made 196 runs at a strike rate of 135.17.
- 2026: Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) made 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.05; MS Dhoni did not play.
They played in the same IPL season 9 times. In those seasons Rishabh Pant finished with more runs 8 times and MS Dhoni 1 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | Rishabh Pant runs (SR) | MS Dhoni runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 476 (118.1) | 59 (81.9) |
| Middle (7-15) | 2294 (135.7) | 1912 (100.5) |
| Death (16-20) | 1095 (202.8) | 3468 (175.0) |
In the powerplay Rishabh Pant scores at 118.1 and MS Dhoni at 81.9; at the death the figures are 202.8 and 175.0. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | Rishabh Pant runs (SR) | MS Dhoni runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 453 (151.00) | – |
| Mumbai Indians | 423 (138.24) | 772 (130.63) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 572 (160.22) | 906 (143.13) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 437 (141.88) | 574 (128.41) |
| Delhi Capitals | 7 (41.18) | 739 (139.70) |
| Punjab Kings | 287 (124.78) | 707 (152.04) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 438 (154.23) | 585 (128.57) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 626 (143.25) | 500 (142.86) |
| Gujarat Titans | 202 (171.19) | 48 (154.84) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 157 (138.94) | 86 (286.67) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 1316 runs, SR 154.64 | 1819 runs, SR 141.56 |
| Away | 1447 runs, SR 155.42 | 2652 runs, SR 140.69 |
| Neutral | 1102 runs, SR 129.49 | 968 runs, SR 123.00 |
Peak Seasons Compared
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.
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.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | 2018 (684), 2019 (488), 2024 (446) |
| MS Dhoni | 2013 (461), 2018 (455), 2019 (416) |
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.
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.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 7 | 28 |
| Won | 2 | 18 |
| Runs | 205 | 523 |
| Strike rate | 149.64 | 132.07 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
| Finals played | 1 | 11 |
| Finals won | 0 | 5 |
Rishabh Pant has played 7 playoff matches and MS Dhoni 28. In finals, Rishabh Pant has 56 runs and MS Dhoni 180.
Their biggest knockout performances
- 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.
- 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.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni have been on opposite sides in 16 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, Rishabh Pant’s team won 7 and MS Dhoni’s team won 9.
| In head-to-head matches | Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 511 | 331 |
| Strike rate | 146.42 | 142.67 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| Rishabh Pant | MS Dhoni | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | None | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 |
| Caps | None | None |
| Player of the match | 8 | 18 |
Pant captained Delhi Capitals from 2021 to 2024 (missing 2023 through injury) and became Lucknow Super Giants captain in 2025. 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.
Where Each One Is Genuinely Better
- Dhoni is better at: finishing chases, average, and big-game cricket, with 28 playoff matches.
- Pant is better at: strike rate and scoring hundreds. He has two IPL centuries; Dhoni has none.
- Captaincy: Dhoni’s five titles have no comparison yet; Pant’s best as captain was topping the league with Delhi in 2021.
The Honest Verdict
Dhoni’s career is the benchmark and Pant, with far fewer matches, is still building his. Ball for ball Pant is the faster scorer; across a whole career, Dhoni is clearly ahead.
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, Rishabh Pant or MS Dhoni?
MS Dhoni has more IPL runs, a higher average and five titles; Rishabh Pant scores faster and has hit two hundreds. Dhoni’s record is the more complete; Pant is the more aggressive batter.
Who has scored more IPL runs, Rishabh Pant or MS Dhoni?
MS Dhoni, with 5439 runs to 3865.
Have Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.