Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Virat Kohli vs AB de Villiers IPL stats, quick answer: Virat Kohli has scored far more runs, with nearly 4,200 more than AB de Villiers and three times as many hundreds, while de Villiers scored faster, at a strike rate of almost 152 against Kohli’s 135. Kohli wins on volume and longevity; de Villiers wins on impact per ball.
- Matches: Virat Kohli 283, AB de Villiers 184
- Runs: Virat Kohli 9336 (SR 134.80), AB de Villiers 5162 (SR 151.69)
- IPL titles: Virat Kohli 2, AB de Villiers 0
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
For a decade Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were the heart of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and their partnerships produced some of the most memorable batting in IPL history, including two of the highest stands the league has seen. They were team-mates, not rivals, which makes this a comparison of styles rather than a battle.
Virat Kohli vs AB de Villiers IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 283 | 184 |
| Seasons | 19 | 14 |
| Runs | 9336 | 5162 |
| Average | 40.42 | 39.71 |
| Strike rate | 134.80 | 151.69 |
| Highest score | 113* | 133* |
| 100s / 50s | 9 / 68 | 3 / 40 |
| Fours | 844 | 413 |
| Sixes | 317 | 251 |
| Player of the match | 22 | 25 |
| Titles | 2 | 0 |
Per match, Virat Kohli has contributed 33.0 runs and AB de Villiers 28.1 runs. Virat Kohli has won player of the match once every 12.9 games, AB de Villiers once every 7.4.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 165 runs, SR 105.10 (13 m) | 95 runs, SR 96.94 (6 m) |
| 2009 | 246 runs, SR 112.33 (16 m) | 465 runs, SR 130.99 (15 m) |
| 2010 | 307 runs, SR 144.81 (16 m) | 111 runs, SR 93.28 (7 m) |
| 2011 | 557 runs, SR 121.09 (16 m) | 312 runs, SR 128.40 (16 m) |
| 2012 | 364 runs, SR 111.66 (16 m) | 319 runs, SR 161.11 (16 m) |
| 2013 | 634 runs, SR 138.73 (16 m) | 360 runs, SR 164.38 (14 m) |
| 2014 | 359 runs, SR 122.11 (14 m) | 395 runs, SR 158.63 (14 m) |
| 2015 | 505 runs, SR 130.83 (16 m) | 513 runs, SR 175.09 (16 m) |
| 2016 | 973 runs, SR 152.03 (16 m) | 687 runs, SR 168.80 (16 m) |
| 2017 | 308 runs, SR 122.22 (10 m) | 216 runs, SR 132.52 (9 m) |
| 2018 | 530 runs, SR 139.11 (14 m) | 480 runs, SR 174.55 (12 m) |
| 2019 | 464 runs, SR 141.46 (14 m) | 442 runs, SR 154.01 (13 m) |
| 2020 | 466 runs, SR 121.35 (15 m) | 454 runs, SR 158.74 (15 m) |
| 2021 | 405 runs, SR 119.47 (15 m) | 313 runs, SR 148.34 (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: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 165 runs at a strike rate of 105.10; AB de Villiers (Delhi Daredevils) made 95 runs at a strike rate of 96.94.
- 2009: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 246 runs at a strike rate of 112.33; AB de Villiers (Delhi Daredevils) made 465 runs at a strike rate of 130.99.
- 2010: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 307 runs at a strike rate of 144.81; AB de Villiers (Delhi Daredevils) made 111 runs at a strike rate of 93.28.
- 2011: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 557 runs at a strike rate of 121.09; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 312 runs at a strike rate of 128.40.
- 2012: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 364 runs at a strike rate of 111.66; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 319 runs at a strike rate of 161.11.
- 2013: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 634 runs at a strike rate of 138.73; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 360 runs at a strike rate of 164.38.
- 2014: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 359 runs at a strike rate of 122.11; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 395 runs at a strike rate of 158.63.
- 2015: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 505 runs at a strike rate of 130.83; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 513 runs at a strike rate of 175.09.
- 2016: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 973 runs at a strike rate of 152.03; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 687 runs at a strike rate of 168.80.
- 2017: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 308 runs at a strike rate of 122.22; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 216 runs at a strike rate of 132.52.
- 2018: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 530 runs at a strike rate of 139.11; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 480 runs at a strike rate of 174.55.
- 2019: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 464 runs at a strike rate of 141.46; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 442 runs at a strike rate of 154.01.
- 2020: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 466 runs at a strike rate of 121.35; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 454 runs at a strike rate of 158.74.
- 2021: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 405 runs at a strike rate of 119.47; AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 313 runs at a strike rate of 148.34.
- 2022: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 341 runs at a strike rate of 115.99; AB de Villiers did not play.
- 2023: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 639 runs at a strike rate of 139.82; AB de Villiers did not play.
- 2024: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.70; AB de Villiers did not play.
- 2025: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71; AB de Villiers did not play.
- 2026: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.85; AB de Villiers did not play.
They played in the same IPL season 14 times. In those seasons Virat Kohli finished with more runs 11 times and AB de Villiers 3 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | Virat Kohli runs (SR) | AB de Villiers runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 3477 (129.5) | 722 (119.1) |
| Middle (7-15) | 4286 (125.8) | 2572 (131.3) |
| Death (16-20) | 1573 (188.4) | 1868 (222.9) |
In the powerplay Virat Kohli scores at 129.5 and AB de Villiers at 119.1; at the death the figures are 188.4 and 222.9. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | Virat Kohli runs (SR) | AB de Villiers runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 1174 (128.31) | 532 (150.28) |
| Mumbai Indians | 972 (128.74) | 785 (148.11) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | – | 115 (102.68) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 1126 (136.65) | 522 (154.90) |
| Delhi Capitals | 1172 (134.40) | 575 (161.06) |
| Punjab Kings | 1217 (133.59) | 736 (155.60) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 928 (125.58) | 652 (147.18) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 889 (144.32) | 540 (155.17) |
| Gujarat Titans | 578 (156.64) | – |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 242 (133.70) | – |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 3448 runs, SR 145.06 | 1907 runs, SR 162.85 |
| Away | 4325 runs, SR 134.19 | 1950 runs, SR 149.54 |
| Neutral | 1563 runs, SR 117.87 | 1305 runs, SR 140.62 |
Peak Seasons Compared
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.
AB de Villiers’s best season was 2016 for Royal Challengers Bangalore: 687 runs in 16 matches at an average of 52.85 and a strike rate of 168.80, with 1 hundred and 6 fifties.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 2016 (973), 2024 (741), 2026 (675) |
| AB de Villiers | 2016 (687), 2015 (513), 2018 (480) |
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.
AB de Villiers: five best innings
- 133* off 59 balls for RCB against MI, 10 May 2015. 10 May 2015, Wankhede Stadium: RCB batted first and made 235/1, led by AB de Villiers 133* (59). MI replied with 196/7, Lendl Simmons 68* (53) top-scoring as Harshal Patel 2/36 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 39 runs. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
- 129* off 52 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.
- 105* off 54 balls for DC against CSK, 23 Apr 2009. 23 Apr 2009, Kingsmead: DC batted first and made 189/5, led by AB de Villiers 105* (54), with Lakshmipathy Balaji 3/19 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 180/9, Matthew Hayden 57 (27) top-scoring as Pradeep Sangwan 3/28 did the damage for DC. DC won by 9 runs. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
- 90* off 39 balls for RCB against DC, 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.
- 89* off 41 balls for RCB against SRH, 4 May 2014. 4 May 2014, M Chinnaswamy Stadium: SRH batted first and made 155/6, led by David Warner 61 (49), with Mitchell Starc 2/21 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 158/6, AB de Villiers 89* (41) top-scoring as Karn Sharma 3/17 did the damage for SRH. RCB won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 20 | 10 |
| Won | 10 | 3 |
| Runs | 514 | 294 |
| Strike rate | 130.46 | 144.12 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
| Finals played | 5 | 2 |
| Finals won | 2 | 0 |
Virat Kohli has played 20 playoff matches and AB de Villiers 10. In finals, Virat Kohli has 214 runs and AB de Villiers 23.
Their biggest knockout performances
- 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.
- AB de Villiers, 2016 Qualifier 1: 79* (47). 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.
- AB de Villiers, 2015 Eliminator: 66 (38). 20 May 2015, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (Eliminator): RCB batted first and made 180/4, led by AB de Villiers 66 (38), with Dhawal Kulkarni 2/28 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 109, Ajinkya Rahane 42 (39) top-scoring as Harshal Patel 2/15 did the damage for RCB. RCB won by 71 runs. Player of the match: AB de Villiers.
- AB de Villiers, 2020 Eliminator: 56 (43). 6 Nov 2020, Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Eliminator): RCB batted first and made 131/7, led by AB de Villiers 56 (43), with Jason Holder 3/25 the pick of the SRH bowlers. SRH replied with 132/4, Kane Williamson 50* (44) top-scoring as Mohammed Siraj 2/28 did the damage for RCB. SRH won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Kane Williamson.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have been on opposite sides in 3 IPL matches and in the same XI in 155. When opponents, Virat Kohli’s team won 1 and AB de Villiers’s team won 2.
| In head-to-head matches | Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 60 | 94 |
| Strike rate | 127.66 | 108.05 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
As team-mates they have shared 155 matches, for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| Virat Kohli | AB de Villiers | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | 2025, 2026 | None |
| Caps | Orange Cap 2016, Orange Cap 2024 | None |
| Player of the match | 22 | 25 |
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: scoring heavily at the top of the order season after season, converting starts into hundreds, and longevity. His nine IPL hundreds are the most in league history.
- De Villiers is better at: scoring quickly from the first ball, batting at the death, and hitting all around the ground. His strike rate is among the best of any batter with 5,000 IPL runs.
- Together: they formed one of the most feared pairings the league has seen, and their record as team-mates is shown in the head-to-head section above.
The Honest Verdict
Over a full career Kohli is the more valuable IPL batter, simply because he has scored so many more runs and kept going long after de Villiers retired, finally winning titles in 2025 and 2026. Ball for ball, de Villiers was the more destructive. If you could pick only one for a single innings, many fans would take de Villiers. For a whole career, it has to be 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, Virat Kohli or AB de Villiers?
Virat Kohli has scored far more runs, with nearly 4,200 more than AB de Villiers and three times as many hundreds, while de Villiers scored faster, at a strike rate of almost 152 against Kohli’s 135. Kohli wins on volume and longevity; de Villiers wins on impact per ball.
Who has scored more IPL runs, Virat Kohli or AB de Villiers?
Virat Kohli, with 9336 runs to 5162.
Have Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers played in the same team?
Yes, in 155 IPL matches, for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.