Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Suresh Raina vs Virat Kohli IPL stats, quick answer: Virat Kohli has far more runs and hundreds, but Suresh Raina was the better big-game batter, with over 700 playoff runs at a strike rate above 155. Kohli wins on career output; Raina was Mr IPL in the knockouts.
- Matches: Suresh Raina 205, Virat Kohli 283
- Runs: Suresh Raina 5528 (SR 136.73), Virat Kohli 9336 (SR 134.80)
- IPL titles: Suresh Raina 3, Virat Kohli 2
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli were the two leading IPL run scorers for much of the league’s first decade, regularly swapping the top spot. Raina was Chennai’s engine room; Kohli Royal Challengers’ talisman.
Suresh Raina vs Virat Kohli IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 205 | 283 |
| Seasons | 13 | 19 |
| Runs | 5528 | 9336 |
| Average | 32.52 | 40.42 |
| Strike rate | 136.73 | 134.80 |
| Highest score | 100* | 113* |
| 100s / 50s | 1 / 39 | 9 / 68 |
| Fours | 506 | 844 |
| Sixes | 203 | 317 |
| Player of the match | 14 | 22 |
| Titles | 3 | 2 |
Per match, Suresh Raina has contributed 27.0 runs and Virat Kohli 33.0 runs. Suresh Raina has won player of the match once every 14.6 games, Virat Kohli once every 12.9.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 421 runs, SR 142.71 (16 m) | 165 runs, SR 105.10 (13 m) |
| 2009 | 434 runs, SR 140.91 (14 m) | 246 runs, SR 112.33 (16 m) |
| 2010 | 520 runs, SR 142.86 (16 m) | 307 runs, SR 144.81 (16 m) |
| 2011 | 438 runs, SR 134.77 (16 m) | 557 runs, SR 121.09 (16 m) |
| 2012 | 441 runs, SR 135.69 (19 m) | 364 runs, SR 111.66 (16 m) |
| 2013 | 548 runs, SR 150.14 (18 m) | 634 runs, SR 138.73 (16 m) |
| 2014 | 523 runs, SR 145.68 (16 m) | 359 runs, SR 122.11 (14 m) |
| 2015 | 374 runs, SR 122.62 (17 m) | 505 runs, SR 130.83 (16 m) |
| 2016 | 399 runs, SR 127.88 (15 m) | 973 runs, SR 152.03 (16 m) |
| 2017 | 442 runs, SR 143.97 (14 m) | 308 runs, SR 122.22 (10 m) |
| 2018 | 445 runs, SR 132.44 (15 m) | 530 runs, SR 139.11 (14 m) |
| 2019 | 383 runs, SR 121.97 (17 m) | 464 runs, SR 141.46 (14 m) |
| 2020 | – | 466 runs, SR 121.35 (15 m) |
| 2021 | 160 runs, SR 125.00 (12 m) | 405 runs, SR 119.47 (15 m) |
| 2022 | – | 341 runs, SR 115.99 (16 m) |
| 2023 | – | 639 runs, SR 139.82 (14 m) |
| 2024 | – | 741 runs, SR 154.70 (15 m) |
| 2025 | – | 657 runs, SR 144.71 (15 m) |
| 2026 | – | 675 runs, SR 165.85 (16 m) |
- 2008: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 421 runs at a strike rate of 142.71; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 165 runs at a strike rate of 105.10.
- 2009: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 434 runs at a strike rate of 140.91; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 246 runs at a strike rate of 112.33.
- 2010: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 520 runs at a strike rate of 142.86; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 307 runs at a strike rate of 144.81.
- 2011: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 438 runs at a strike rate of 134.77; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 557 runs at a strike rate of 121.09.
- 2012: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 441 runs at a strike rate of 135.69; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 364 runs at a strike rate of 111.66.
- 2013: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 548 runs at a strike rate of 150.14; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 634 runs at a strike rate of 138.73.
- 2014: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 523 runs at a strike rate of 145.68; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 359 runs at a strike rate of 122.11.
- 2015: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 374 runs at a strike rate of 122.62; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 505 runs at a strike rate of 130.83.
- 2016: Suresh Raina (Gujarat Lions) made 399 runs at a strike rate of 127.88; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 973 runs at a strike rate of 152.03.
- 2017: Suresh Raina (Gujarat Lions) made 442 runs at a strike rate of 143.97; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 308 runs at a strike rate of 122.22.
- 2018: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 445 runs at a strike rate of 132.44; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 530 runs at a strike rate of 139.11.
- 2019: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 383 runs at a strike rate of 121.97; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 464 runs at a strike rate of 141.46.
- 2020: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 466 runs at a strike rate of 121.35; Suresh Raina did not play.
- 2021: Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) made 160 runs at a strike rate of 125.00; Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 405 runs at a strike rate of 119.47.
- 2022: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 341 runs at a strike rate of 115.99; Suresh Raina did not play.
- 2023: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 639 runs at a strike rate of 139.82; Suresh Raina did not play.
- 2024: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.70; Suresh Raina did not play.
- 2025: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71; Suresh Raina did not play.
- 2026: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.85; Suresh Raina did not play.
They played in the same IPL season 13 times. In those seasons Suresh Raina finished with more runs 6 times and Virat Kohli 7 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | Suresh Raina runs (SR) | Virat Kohli runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 1552 (132.9) | 3477 (129.5) |
| Middle (7-15) | 3077 (131.0) | 4286 (125.8) |
| Death (16-20) | 899 (170.6) | 1573 (188.4) |
In the powerplay Suresh Raina scores at 132.9 and Virat Kohli at 129.5; at the death the figures are 170.6 and 188.4. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | Suresh Raina runs (SR) | Virat Kohli runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | – | 1174 (128.31) |
| Mumbai Indians | 824 (139.42) | 972 (128.74) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 702 (128.34) | – |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 829 (136.57) | 1126 (136.65) |
| Delhi Capitals | 661 (134.62) | 1172 (134.40) |
| Punjab Kings | 822 (150.55) | 1217 (133.59) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 630 (134.62) | 928 (125.58) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 453 (138.96) | 889 (144.32) |
| Gujarat Titans | – | 578 (156.64) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | – | 242 (133.70) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 1826 runs, SR 135.36 | 3448 runs, SR 145.06 |
| Away | 3009 runs, SR 138.34 | 4325 runs, SR 134.19 |
| Neutral | 693 runs, SR 133.53 | 1563 runs, SR 117.87 |
Peak Seasons Compared
Suresh Raina’s best season was 2013 for Chennai Super Kings: 548 runs in 18 matches at an average of 42.15 and a strike rate of 150.14, with 1 hundred 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 |
|---|---|
| Suresh Raina | 2013 (548), 2014 (523), 2010 (520) |
| Virat Kohli | 2016 (973), 2024 (741), 2026 (675) |
Suresh Raina: five best innings
- 100* off 53 balls for CSK against PBKS, 2 May 2013. 2 May 2013, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk): CSK batted first and made 186/4, led by Suresh Raina 100* (53), with Parvinder Awana 2/29 the pick of the PBKS bowlers. PBKS replied with 171/6, Shaun Marsh 73 (51) top-scoring as Dwayne Bravo 3/34 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 15 runs. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
- 99* off 52 balls for CSK against SRH, 8 May 2013. 8 May 2013, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: CSK batted first and made 223/3, led by Suresh Raina 99* (52), with Thisara Perera 3/45 the pick of the SRH bowlers. SRH replied with 146/8, Parthiv Patel 44 (30) top-scoring as Mohit Sharma 2/28 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 77 runs. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
- 98 off 55 balls for CSK against RR, 30 Apr 2009. 30 Apr 2009, SuperSport Park: CSK batted first and made 164/5, led by Suresh Raina 98 (55), with Yusuf Pathan 2/17 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 126/9, Ravindra Jadeja 37 (33) top-scoring as Lakshmipathy Balaji 4/21 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 38 runs. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
- 87 off 25 balls for CSK against PBKS, 30 May 2014. 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.
- 84 off 46 balls for GL against KKR, 21 Apr 2017. 21 Apr 2017, Eden Gardens: KKR batted first and made 187/5, led by Robin Uthappa 72 (48). GL replied with 188/6, Suresh Raina 84 (46) top-scoring as Kuldeep Yadav 2/33 did the damage for KKR. GL won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
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 | Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 24 | 20 |
| Won | 13 | 10 |
| Runs | 714 | 514 |
| Strike rate | 155.22 | 130.46 |
| Wickets | 4 | 0 |
| Finals played | 8 | 5 |
| Finals won | 3 | 2 |
Suresh Raina has played 24 playoff matches and Virat Kohli 20. In finals, Suresh Raina has 249 runs and Virat Kohli 214.
Their biggest knockout performances
- Suresh Raina, 2014 Qualifier 2: 87 (25). 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.
- Suresh Raina, 2010 Final: 57* (35), 1/21. 25 Apr 2010, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy (Final): CSK batted first and made 168/5, led by Suresh Raina 57* (35), with Dilhara Fernando 2/23 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 146/9, Sachin Tendulkar 48 (45) top-scoring as Shadab Jakati 2/26 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 22 runs. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
- Suresh Raina, 2013 Qualifier 1: 82* (42). 21 May 2013, Feroz Shah Kotla (Qualifier 1): CSK batted first and made 192/1, led by Mike Hussey 86* (58). MI replied with 144, Dwayne Smith 68 (28) top-scoring as Dwayne Bravo 3/9 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 48 runs. Player of the match: Mike Hussey.
- 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
Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli have been on opposite sides in 30 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, Suresh Raina’s team won 19 and Virat Kohli’s team won 10.
| In head-to-head matches | Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 702 | 982 |
| Strike rate | 128.34 | 126.22 |
| Wickets | 2 | 1 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| Suresh Raina | Virat Kohli | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | 2010, 2011, 2018 | 2025, 2026 |
| Caps | None | Orange Cap 2016, Orange Cap 2024 |
| Player of the match | 14 | 22 |
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 volume, average, hundreds and longevity.
- Raina is better at: playoff batting. He has the most playoff runs of any IPL batter in this comparison, scored quickly.
- Titles: Raina won four titles with Chennai; Kohli won two late in his career.
The Honest Verdict
Kohli’s longevity and late surge have taken him well clear on career numbers. Raina’s record in knockout matches, and in the league’s early years, earned him his nickname. For a final, Raina; for a career, 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, Suresh Raina or Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli has far more runs and hundreds, but Suresh Raina was the better big-game batter, with over 700 playoff runs at a strike rate above 155. Kohli wins on career output; Raina was Mr IPL in the knockouts.
Who has scored more IPL runs, Suresh Raina or Virat Kohli?
Virat Kohli, with 9336 runs to 5528.
Have Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.