Former India and RCB captain Virat Kohli recorded the most runs in an IPL season in 2016. We look at the top-contenders who can challenge his long-standing tally or surpass it.
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Former India and RCB captain Virat Kohli might not be at his best form currently but there is hardly any doubt that he breaks records for fun when he is in rhythm. Kohli has set remarkable standards for himself. He is a fierce competitor on the field who hardly gives an inch.
One of his most memorable outings and substantial flow of runs came in IPL 2016, when he accumulated 973 runs under his belt, to record the highest runs scored by a player in one IPL season. His tally was laced with four centuries — (100 not out vs Gujarat Lions), (108 not out vs Rising Pune Supergiant), (109 vs Gujarat Lions), (113 vs Kings XI Punjab) — and seven half-centuries. He batted at an average of a staggering 81.08 with a strike rate of 152.03. He also accumulated 83 boundaries and 38 sixes in the season.
Five years on, the IPL has been played in India and overseas conditions due to unavoidable circumstances, but no batter has been able to match or surpass his tally. However, with the IPL 2022 around the corner, we look at a few contenders who can challenge his record-haul, if not surpass it.
Newly-appointed KKR captain Shreyas Iyer is in the form of his life. He notched up three consecutive half-centuries in the T20I series against Sri Lanka at home recently and also scored a half-century each in both innings of second and final Test against the island nation.
Iyer will be expected to carry the momentum to IPL 2022 and lead his new franchise by example. He could also challenge the behemoth tally of Kohli in the process. However, he will have to considerably improve on his past record of 519 runs in an IPL season, recorded in IPL 2020-21 to do so.
Australia opener David Warner will be itching to get back amongst runs in the IPL. Especially, after accumulating only 195 runs at an average of 24.37 in the previous season, which saw him not being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
However, if Warner hits the purple patch, he could well end up surpassing Kohli’s tally. He, in fact, scored 848 runs in the IPL 2016 finishing behind Kohli’s record-setting feat and will rely on his strike rate of nearly 140 to record his best season under testing conditions.
Kane Williamson will head into the IPL 2022 season after an elbow injury has kept him out of international action since November 2021.
The Kiwi captain who is well-known for playing composed innings at the top of the order and remaining consistent in the process can well challenge Kohli’s tally. In fact, his highest tally in an IPL season, records at 735 which he achieved in the 2018 edition and will look to go beyond that in the upcoming season.
Former Punjab Kings captain and opener KL Rahul makes merry of the bowlers at the top of the order. However, luck has not been on his side, as there have been ample occasions when his best knocks end up for the losing side.
But Rahul will look to change his fortunes in new colours for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming season and continue his flow of runs in the lucrative tournament.
The LSG captain has thrice — 2020-21, 2018, 2021 — accumulated more than 600 runs in a season and will be expected to give solid starts to his new franchise in IPL 2022 as well.
