Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Virat Kohli vs David Warner IPL stats, quick answer: Virat Kohli has scored about 2,800 more IPL runs and more hundreds; David Warner has a fractionally higher average and strike rate, built over fewer matches. Kohli wins on volume and longevity, Warner on efficiency.
- Matches: Virat Kohli 283, David Warner 184
- Runs: Virat Kohli 9336 (SR 134.80), David Warner 6565 (SR 139.77)
- IPL titles: Virat Kohli 2, David Warner 1
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
Virat Kohli and David Warner were the two outstanding batters of the IPL’s second decade, and in 2016 they fought out one of the great Orange Cap races before meeting in the final, which Warner’s Sunrisers won.
Virat Kohli vs David Warner IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 283 | 184 |
| Seasons | 19 | 15 |
| Runs | 9336 | 6565 |
| Average | 40.42 | 40.52 |
| Strike rate | 134.80 | 139.77 |
| Highest score | 113* | 126 |
| 100s / 50s | 9 / 68 | 4 / 62 |
| Fours | 844 | 663 |
| Sixes | 317 | 236 |
| Player of the match | 22 | 18 |
| Titles | 2 | 1 |
Per match, Virat Kohli has contributed 33.0 runs and David Warner 35.7 runs. Virat Kohli has won player of the match once every 12.9 games, David Warner once every 10.2.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 165 runs, SR 105.10 (13 m) | – |
| 2009 | 246 runs, SR 112.33 (16 m) | 163 runs, SR 123.48 (7 m) |
| 2010 | 307 runs, SR 144.81 (16 m) | 282 runs, SR 147.64 (11 m) |
| 2011 | 557 runs, SR 121.09 (16 m) | 324 runs, SR 117.39 (13 m) |
| 2012 | 364 runs, SR 111.66 (16 m) | 256 runs, SR 164.10 (8 m) |
| 2013 | 634 runs, SR 138.73 (16 m) | 410 runs, SR 126.93 (16 m) |
| 2014 | 359 runs, SR 122.11 (14 m) | 528 runs, SR 140.80 (14 m) |
| 2015 | 505 runs, SR 130.83 (16 m) | 562 runs, SR 156.55 (14 m) |
| 2016 | 973 runs, SR 152.03 (16 m) | 848 runs, SR 151.43 (17 m) |
| 2017 | 308 runs, SR 122.22 (10 m) | 641 runs, SR 141.81 (14 m) |
| 2018 | 530 runs, SR 139.11 (14 m) | – |
| 2019 | 464 runs, SR 141.46 (14 m) | 692 runs, SR 143.87 (12 m) |
| 2020 | 466 runs, SR 121.35 (15 m) | 548 runs, SR 134.64 (16 m) |
| 2021 | 405 runs, SR 119.47 (15 m) | 195 runs, SR 107.73 (8 m) |
| 2022 | 341 runs, SR 115.99 (16 m) | 432 runs, SR 150.52 (12 m) |
| 2023 | 639 runs, SR 139.82 (14 m) | 516 runs, SR 131.63 (14 m) |
| 2024 | 741 runs, SR 154.70 (15 m) | 168 runs, SR 134.40 (8 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; David Warner did not play.
- 2009: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 246 runs at a strike rate of 112.33; David Warner (Delhi Daredevils) made 163 runs at a strike rate of 123.48.
- 2010: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 307 runs at a strike rate of 144.81; David Warner (Delhi Daredevils) made 282 runs at a strike rate of 147.64.
- 2011: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 557 runs at a strike rate of 121.09; David Warner (Delhi Daredevils) made 324 runs at a strike rate of 117.39.
- 2012: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 364 runs at a strike rate of 111.66; David Warner (Delhi Daredevils) made 256 runs at a strike rate of 164.10.
- 2013: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 634 runs at a strike rate of 138.73; David Warner (Delhi Daredevils) made 410 runs at a strike rate of 126.93.
- 2014: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 359 runs at a strike rate of 122.11; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 528 runs at a strike rate of 140.80.
- 2015: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 505 runs at a strike rate of 130.83; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 562 runs at a strike rate of 156.55.
- 2016: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 973 runs at a strike rate of 152.03; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 848 runs at a strike rate of 151.43.
- 2017: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 308 runs at a strike rate of 122.22; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 641 runs at a strike rate of 141.81.
- 2018: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 530 runs at a strike rate of 139.11; David Warner did not play.
- 2019: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 464 runs at a strike rate of 141.46; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 692 runs at a strike rate of 143.87.
- 2020: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 466 runs at a strike rate of 121.35; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 548 runs at a strike rate of 134.64.
- 2021: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 405 runs at a strike rate of 119.47; David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) made 195 runs at a strike rate of 107.73.
- 2022: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 341 runs at a strike rate of 115.99; David Warner (Delhi Capitals) made 432 runs at a strike rate of 150.52.
- 2023: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) made 639 runs at a strike rate of 139.82; David Warner (Delhi Capitals) made 516 runs at a strike rate of 131.63.
- 2024: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.70; David Warner (Delhi Capitals) made 168 runs at a strike rate of 134.40.
- 2025: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71; David Warner did not play.
- 2026: Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) made 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.85; David Warner did not play.
They played in the same IPL season 15 times. In those seasons Virat Kohli finished with more runs 9 times and David Warner 6 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | Virat Kohli runs (SR) | David Warner runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 3477 (129.5) | 3316 (138.3) |
| Middle (7-15) | 4286 (125.8) | 2621 (134.8) |
| Death (16-20) | 1573 (188.4) | 628 (176.9) |
In the powerplay Virat Kohli scores at 129.5 and David Warner at 138.3; at the death the figures are 188.4 and 176.9. That difference largely reflects where each has batted in the order.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | Virat Kohli runs (SR) | David Warner runs (SR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 1174 (128.31) | 696 (133.08) |
| Mumbai Indians | 972 (128.74) | 727 (135.38) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | – | 862 (160.52) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 1126 (136.65) | 1093 (145.15) |
| Delhi Capitals | 1172 (134.40) | 448 (128.37) |
| Punjab Kings | 1217 (133.59) | 1134 (144.27) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 928 (125.58) | 583 (128.13) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 889 (144.32) | 122 (119.61) |
| Gujarat Titans | 578 (156.64) | 39 (114.71) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 242 (133.70) | 71 (97.26) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 3448 runs, SR 145.06 | 2303 runs, SR 148.01 |
| Away | 4325 runs, SR 134.19 | 2761 runs, SR 138.81 |
| Neutral | 1563 runs, SR 117.87 | 1501 runs, SR 130.30 |
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.
David Warner’s best season was 2016 for Sunrisers Hyderabad: 848 runs in 17 matches at an average of 60.57 and a strike rate of 151.43, with 0 hundreds and 9 fifties.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 2016 (973), 2024 (741), 2026 (675) |
| David Warner | 2016 (848), 2019 (692), 2017 (641) |
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.
David Warner: five best innings
- 126 off 59 balls for SRH against KKR, 30 Apr 2017. 30 Apr 2017, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: SRH batted first and made 209/3, led by David Warner 126 (59). KKR replied with 161/7, Robin Uthappa 53 (28) top-scoring as Mohammed Siraj 2/26 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 48 runs. Player of the match: David Warner.
- 109* off 54 balls for DC against DCG, 10 May 2012. 10 May 2012, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: DCG batted first and made 187/4, led by Shikhar Dhawan 84 (49), with Varun Aaron 2/30 the pick of the DC bowlers. DC replied with 193/1, David Warner 109* (54) top-scoring. DC won by 9 wickets. Player of the match: David Warner.
- 107* off 69 balls for DC against KKR, 29 Mar 2010. 29 Mar 2010, Feroz Shah Kotla: DC batted first and made 177/4, led by David Warner 107* (69), with Charl Langeveldt 2/35 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 137/9, Chris Gayle 30 (21) top-scoring as Umesh Yadav 2/27 did the damage for DC. DC won by 40 runs. Player of the match: David Warner.
- 100* off 55 balls for SRH against RCB, 31 Mar 2019. 31 Mar 2019, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium: SRH batted first and made 231/2, led by Jonny Bairstow 114 (56). RCB replied with 113, C de Grandhomme 37 (32) top-scoring as Mohammad Nabi 4/11 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 118 runs. Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow.
- 93* off 58 balls for SRH against GL, 27 May 2016. 27 May 2016, Feroz Shah Kotla (Qualifier 2): GL batted first and made 162/7, led by Aaron Finch 50 (32), with Ben Cutting 2/20 the pick of the SRH bowlers. SRH replied with 163/6, David Warner 93* (58) top-scoring as Shivil Kaushik 2/22 did the damage for GL. SRH won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: David Warner.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 20 | 9 |
| Won | 10 | 4 |
| Runs | 514 | 256 |
| Strike rate | 130.46 | 132.64 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
| Finals played | 5 | 1 |
| Finals won | 2 | 1 |
Virat Kohli has played 20 playoff matches and David Warner 9. In finals, Virat Kohli has 214 runs and David Warner 69.
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.
- David Warner, 2016 Qualifier 2: 93* (58). 27 May 2016, Feroz Shah Kotla (Qualifier 2): GL batted first and made 162/7, led by Aaron Finch 50 (32), with Ben Cutting 2/20 the pick of the SRH bowlers. SRH replied with 163/6, David Warner 93* (58) top-scoring as Shivil Kaushik 2/22 did the damage for GL. SRH won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: David Warner.
- David Warner, 2016 Final: 69 (38). 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.
- David Warner, 2017 Eliminator: 37 (35). 17 May 2017, M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Eliminator): SRH batted first and made 128/7, led by David Warner 37 (35), with Nathan Coulter-Nile 3/20 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 48/3, Gautam Gambhir 32* (19) top-scoring. KKR won by 7 wickets (DLS). Player of the match: Nathan Coulter-Nile.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
Virat Kohli and David Warner have been on opposite sides in 22 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, Virat Kohli’s team won 12 and David Warner’s team won 10.
| In head-to-head matches | Virat Kohli | David Warner |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 846 | 848 |
| Strike rate | 138.46 | 160.30 |
| Wickets | 0 | 0 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| Virat Kohli | David Warner | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | 2025, 2026 | 2016 |
| Caps | Orange Cap 2016, Orange Cap 2024 | Orange Cap 2015, Orange Cap 2017, Orange Cap 2019 |
| Player of the match | 22 | 18 |
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. Warner captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 title and also led Delhi in 2023.
Where Each One Is Genuinely Better
- Kohli is better at: run volume, hundreds and longevity.
- Warner is better at: average, strike rate and Orange Caps (three to two).
- In finals: Warner’s side won the one final they played against each other in 2016.
The Honest Verdict
Per innings, Warner was at least as good as Kohli over his career. Kohli’s extra seasons and late surge give him the overall edge.
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 David Warner?
Virat Kohli has scored about 2,800 more IPL runs and more hundreds; David Warner has a fractionally higher average and strike rate, built over fewer matches. Kohli wins on volume and longevity, Warner on efficiency.
Who has scored more IPL runs, Virat Kohli or David Warner?
Virat Kohli, with 9336 runs to 6565.
Have Virat Kohli and David Warner played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.