Most Centuries in IPL History: Batsmen With Most IPL Hundreds Ever

Quick Answer

Who has scored the most centuries in IPL history?

• Virat Kohli holds the record with 9 centuries (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
• Jos Buttler is second with 7 centuries (Rajasthan Royals / Gujarat Titans)
• Chris Gayle & KL Rahul are joint third with 6 centuries each
• Shane Watson, David Warner, Shubman Gill & Sanju Samson have scored 4 centuries each
• AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock & Sai Sudharsan have scored 3 centuries each
• In total, 122 centuries have been scored by 61 different batsmen across IPL history – 31 Indian and 31 overseas players.

Introduction: Why IPL Centuries Are So Rare – and So Special

The Indian Premier League has been the ultimate stage for batting brilliance since its very first match in April 2008. In Twenty20 cricket, a century is one of the rarest and most celebrated achievements a batter can produce. With only 120 balls available to an entire team per innings, scoring 100 runs in a single knock demands extraordinary skill, timing, and mental fortitude.

In just 20 overs with only 120 balls, batsmen have to attack from ball one, take risks, and maintain their concentration under immense pressure. There is barely time to settle in before you need to accelerate. Yet across more than fifteen seasons of the IPL, a select group of elite batsmen have managed centuries not once but multiple times – turning the near impossible into a personal trademark.

Here is what makes an IPL century so difficult to achieve:

• A batter must typically score at a strike rate of 150+ just to reach 100 runs in time
• They must survive against world-class bowlers using pace, spin, and variations under pressure
• They have no time to “play themselves in” – aggression is required from the very first ball
• A single misjudged shot ends the innings instantly, no matter how well set the batter is
• The combination of crowd pressure, match situation, and opponent quality adds mental strain at every stage

This is precisely why the players below stand so far apart from the rest. They are not just good T20 batters – they are once-in-a-generation talents.

Here is a summary of the top century-scorers on Golden444 App:

As the IPL continues to evolve, new challengers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma are pushing towards this elite list. But for now, the record – nine IPL centuries – belongs to Virat Kohli alone. Whether anyone can catch him is one of the most compelling stories the coming seasons have to offer.

The First-Ever IPL Century: Brendon McCullum’s Historic Night

Before listing the all-time record holders, it is worth acknowledging where it all began. The first century in the league’s history was scored in the inaugural match itself on 18 April 2008 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, by Brendon McCullum for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore – scoring 158*, which is also one of the only three 150+ scores by an individual in IPL history.

McCullum’s knock on that opening night set the tone for everything the IPL would become: explosive, record-breaking, and utterly unmissable. It announced to the world that this new format of cricket was going to be unlike anything ever seen before.

Batsmen With the Most IPL Centuries Ever

1. Virat Kohli – 9 Centuries | Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Virat Kohli holds the record for the most centuries in the IPL, with nine hundreds in 279 matches. All nine of these centuries have come for a single franchise – Royal Challengers Bengaluru – across nineteen seasons, making him the only player in IPL history to represent one team for the entire duration of the competition.

Career IPL Stats at a Glance:

• Matches: 279
• Total Runs: 9,145 (all-time highest in IPL history)
• Centuries: 9
• Half-Centuries: 66
• Average: 40.11
• Orange Cap wins: 2016 and 2024

The defining chapter of Kohli’s IPL century story is the 2016 season. He scored an astonishing four centuries in a single edition – a record that still stands. He amassed 973 runs that season, the most by any player in a single IPL tournament, a mark no player has breached since.

What makes Kohli’s record especially remarkable is the following:

• He scored zero IPL centuries before 2016 and then hit four in a single season
• His fastest IPL hundred came off just 50 balls against Kings XI Punjab in 2016, while his slowest was 72 balls against Rajasthan Royals in 2024.
• Four of his nine centuries have come at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, his home ground in Bengaluru
• He holds the record for most half-centuries in the IPL with 66 fifties across 19 seasons.
• He won the IPL trophy for the first time with RCB in 2025, adding the one team honour that had long eluded him

His centuries are not products of brute force alone. They are masterclasses in innings construction – knowing when to accumulate, when to accelerate, and how to bat deep into an innings without losing concentration. Kohli remains the benchmark against which all IPL batsmen are measured.

2. Jos Buttler – 7 Centuries | Rajasthan Royals / Gujarat Titans

Jos Buttler sits second on the all-time list with 7 IPL centuries, playing for Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals across 133+ matches and scoring 4,475 runs at an average of 39.25.

Career IPL Stats at a Glance:

• Matches: 133+
• Total Runs: 4,475
• Centuries: 7
• Average: 39.25
• Top Score: 124 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Buttler’s 2022 season for Rajasthan Royals is widely regarded as the greatest individual batting campaign by an overseas player in IPL history. Four of his centuries came in the 2022 season, when he scored 863 runs at an average of 57.53 and a strike rate of 149.05.

Key highlights of Buttler’s IPL century record are:

• He and Virat Kohli are the only two players to score four centuries in a single IPL season.
• His best performance came against Sunrisers Hyderabad, smashing 124 off just 60 deliveries.
• His batting style is pure aggression from ball one – he creates his own opportunities rather than waiting for bad deliveries
• He possesses a full 360-degree range of shots, making conventional field settings almost useless against him

Buttler is the closest challenger to Kohli’s record and, still active in the IPL, has every chance of continuing to add to his tally in coming seasons.

3. Chris Gayle – 6 Centuries | KKR / RCB / Punjab Kings

Chris Gayle redefined power-hitting in the IPL with his six centuries, including the unforgettable 175* against Pune Warriors India in 2013 – one of the league’s most iconic innings ever played. 

Career IPL Stats at a Glance:

• Matches: 142
• Centuries: 6
• Highest Score: 175* (the highest individual score in IPL history)
• Fastest IPL century: 30 balls vs Pune Warriors India, 2013

Gayle’s unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls in 2013 remains the highest individual score in the tournament’s history. That single innings – 17 sixes, 13 fours, struck at a strike rate of 265 – is widely considered the greatest T20 innings ever played anywhere in the world.

Notable facts about Gayle’s IPL centuries:

• Five of his six hundreds came for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
• His explosive opening partnership with Kohli was one of the most feared combinations in T20 cricket
• He scored his final IPL century for Punjab Kings against Hyderabad in 2018
• He holds the record for the fastest century in IPL history – 30 balls

4. KL Rahul – 6 Centuries | Multiple Franchises

KL Rahul sits joint third with Gayle, having amassed six IPL centuries across his career with multiple franchises including Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.

Career IPL Stats at a Glance:

• Centuries: 6
• Orange Cap winner: IPL 2020
• First century: 2019 (Punjab Kings)

KL Rahul’s journey across multiple franchises demonstrates his versatility and consistency. With six centuries in the tournament, he has often been the key figure in his team’s batting lineup. His calm presence at the crease, combined with expansive stroke play, makes him one of the most dependable batsmen in the IPL.

What sets Rahul apart from the other members of this elite group:

• He can bat as both an anchor and an aggressive finisher depending on match situation
• He has scored IPL centuries while also captaining his side
• He joined Lucknow Super Giants in 2022, hit two centuries in the season, and scored 616 runs at an average of 51.33. 
• His technique – built on solid Test cricket foundations – gives him an edge in difficult conditions

5. Shane Watson – 4 Centuries | CSK / RCB / Rajasthan Royals

Shane Watson scored 4 centuries during his IPL career from 2008 to 2020, representing Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Rajasthan Royals. He scored 3,874 runs in 145 matches at an average of 30.99.

Watson’s most legendary IPL innings came in the biggest moment possible. One of his most memorable innings came in the 2018 IPL final against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he smashed a brilliant 117 off just 57 balls. It is still celebrated as one of the finest knocks ever played in an IPL final and single-handedly won CSK the title that night.

6. David Warner – 4 Centuries | Delhi / Sunrisers Hyderabad

David Warner is one of the most decorated overseas players in IPL history and one of four batsmen with four IPL centuries.

Key facts:

• Warner’s first IPL century came in 2010 and his second in 2012, both for Delhi. His last two hundreds came while playing for Hyderabad in 2017 and 2019 – seasons in which he won the Orange Cap both times. 
• He is the third-highest run-scorer in IPL history and the highest among all overseas batters
• His centuries were typically the launchpad for large Sunrisers Hyderabad totals during their dominant mid-2010s era

7. Shubman Gill – 4 Centuries | KKR / Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill has emerged as one of the brightest young batting talents in the IPL, showcasing his technique and temperament across different franchises. His move from Kolkata Knight Riders to Gujarat Titans saw him reach new heights, with four centuries to his name.

At his age, Gill has the longest runway ahead of him on this list. His smooth, elegant batting style – capable of both classical timing and explosive power – makes him the most likely candidate to challenge the all-time records in seasons to come.

8. Sanju Samson – 4 Centuries | Rajasthan Royals

Sanju Samson has been one of Rajasthan Royals’ most important and most watchable batters for years, with four IPL centuries to his name.

Key highlights:

• He can play both an anchor role and a finisher role depending on match situations 
• His ability to hit sixes effortlessly – especially over long-on and long-off – makes him one of IPL’s most entertaining batsmen
• His recent form has shown significant maturity after years of inconsistency, proving himself as a batter for the biggest occasions

Players With 3 IPL Centuries

Three players have scored three IPL centuries each:

• AB de Villiers – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Top score: 133*, strike rate above 150 across 184 matches and 5,162 runs)
• Quinton de Kock – Multiple franchises (One of the most effective overseas openers in the tournament’s history)
• Sai Sudharsan – Gujarat Titans (A rising Indian talent rapidly building his IPL legacy)

AB de Villiers was nicknamed “Mr. 360” because he could hit the ball anywhere – no part of the field was safe. His top score was a ridiculous 133 not out at a strike rate above 150. Over 184 matches, he piled up 5,162 runs and averaged just under 40.

Team-Wise Century Records

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru lead the way with 20 centuries scored by their players – more than any other team. 
• Punjab Kings has the most overall centurions, with 15 different players scoring centuries for them.
• Gujarat Titans, Deccan Chargers, and Rising Pune Supergiant have the fewest, with only 2 players scoring a century each.
• Three franchises have never had a player score an IPL century for them: Pune Warriors India, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, and Gujarat Lions – all now-defunct teams. 

Season-Wise Century Milestones

• Most centuries in a single season: 14 (IPL 2024)
• Fewest centuries in a season: 2 (IPL 2009)
• Most centuries by one player in a season: 4 – Virat Kohli (2016) and Jos Buttler (2022)
• First century in IPL history: Brendon McCullum, 158* – April 18, 2008
• Highest individual IPL score: Chris Gayle, 175* – 2013

The dramatic rise from 2 centuries in 2009 to 14 in 2024 reflects the growing quality and depth of batting in the league, as well as conditions that have increasingly favoured aggressive strokeplay.

Conclusion: The Legends Who Made IPL History

The list of batsmen with the most centuries in IPL history is more than a collection of statistics. It is a portrait of the players who have defined the tournament across seventeen extraordinary seasons. At Golden444 App, we believe these innings are not just records – they are moments of cricket history that every fan deserves to relive and celebrate. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who has scored the most centuries in IPL history?

Virat Kohli holds the record for the most centuries in IPL history with 9 hundreds, all scored for Royal Challengers Bengaluru across 19 seasons. He has two more centuries than Jos Buttler, who sits second on the list with 7 hundreds. Kohli is also the all-time highest run-scorer in IPL history with 9,145 runs in 279 matches. For the latest IPL century records and live updates, follow Golden444 App.

Q2. Who scored the first-ever century in IPL history?

The first century in IPL history was scored in the inaugural match itself on 18 April 2008 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, by Brendon McCullum for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He scored 158*, which is also one of the only three 150+ scores by an individual in IPL history. That historic knock set the tone for everything the IPL would go on to become. Golden444 App brings you the full history of every landmark IPL moment like this one.

Q3. What is the highest individual score in IPL history?

The highest individual score in IPL history is 175*, scored by Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India in 2013. Gayle reached this score off just 66 balls, hitting 17 sixes and 13 fours in an innings widely regarded as the greatest ever played in T20 cricket. He also holds the record for the fastest IPL century – achieved in just 30 balls in the same match. Golden444 App covers all such iconic IPL innings and records in detail.

Q4. Which player has scored the most centuries in a single IPL season?

The most centuries scored by an individual in a single season is 4, which was achieved by Virat Kohli in 2016 and Jos Buttler in 2022. Kohli’s 2016 season also produced a record 973 runs in total – the most ever scored by any player in a single IPL edition. Buttler’s 2022 campaign earned him the Orange Cap and led Rajasthan Royals to the IPL final. Track every such record live on Golden444 App.

Q5. Which IPL team has produced the most centuries?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru lead the way with 20 centuries scored by their players – more than any other team in IPL history. Much of this is driven by the presence of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers in the same lineup for several seasons – three of the most destructive batsmen the tournament has ever seen, all playing for the same franchise at the same time. For complete team-wise IPL stats and records, visit Golden444 App – your trusted source for everything cricket.