Both are still playing. Both have records that will likely never be matched. But which one do you prefer?
The runs
Kohli’s batting record in the IPL is without equal. Across more than 267 matches he has scored more than 8,600 runs at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 132.86, with 8 centuries and more than 60 half-centuries.
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His 2016 season remains the single greatest individual batting campaign the tournament has produced. He scored 973 runs in 16 matches that year, with four centuries, seven half-centuries and an average of 81.08. Nobody has gone beyond that total in a single season.
Rohit’s numbers tell a different story. He has scored more than 7,200 runs at an average of 30.15 and a strike rate of 132.10, with 2 centuries and 49 half-centuries. The gap in averages and centuries is significant. As a pure batter, Kohli wins this category without much debate.
The titles
This is where the conversation shifts. Rohit has won six IPL titles – one with Deccan Chargers in 2009 and five as captain of Mumbai Indians. In that 2009 season he scored 362 runs in 16 matches and took 11 wickets, earning the Emerging Player of the Tournament award. He then joined Mumbai Indians and built them into the most successful franchise in IPL history, winning in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Kohli spent 17 seasons at RCB before winning his first title in 2025. His peak batting season in 2016 led them to the final, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight runs.
The loyalty
Both men have committed to a single franchise for more than 15 years of their IPL careers – Kohli at RCB since 2008, Rohit at Mumbai Indians since 2011. In a competition defined by auction cycles, that kind of loyalty stands apart.
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So who do you prefer?
If you value individual brilliance and the most complete batting record in IPL history, Kohli is your answer. If you value winning, leadership and building a franchise into a dynasty, Rohit makes an equally strong case.
Two careers. Two different kinds of greatness. The choice is yours.
Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
