New Delhi: The Indian Premier League 2026—or IPL—is now just one day away from its commencement. The opening match of the 19th season of the IPL is scheduled to be played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, and palpable excitement is evident on the faces of both players and cricket fans alike. In the opening match, the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad teams will face off against each other.
Out of respect for the sentiments of the victims and the families of the 11 people who lost their lives in a stampede during the celebrations in Bangalore following the team’s previous title victory, the BCCI has decided to cancel the opening ceremony celebrations this time around. On the other hand, the very first match is expected to be a highly thrilling encounter.
All eyes are firmly fixed on the former captain and star batsman of the Bangalore team, Virat Kohli. Kohli stands poised to claim a major record in this very first match. The question remains: what exactly is this record that, once achieved, will make Virat Kohli the first batsman in history to set it?
Kohli Could Claim This Major Record
In the history of the Indian Premier League, former RCB captain Virat Kohli has smashed a total of 291 sixes so far. He is now just 9 sixes away from completing a milestone of 300 sixes at the IPL level. If Virat Kohli hits 9 sixes during this IPL season, he will become only the third player in the tournament’s history to reach the 300-six mark.
Currently, the list of players who have hit 300 or more sixes in the IPL format features the names of just two batsmen: Chris Gayle and Rohit Sharma. In the IPL format, Chris Gayle holds the record with 357 sixes. Rohit Sharma has also etched his name in history by smashing 302 sixes to date.
Players with the Most Sixes in the IPL
In the Indian Premier League, Chris Gayle occupies the top spot for the most sixes, with a tally of 357. In this regard, Rohit Sharma ranks second with 302 sixes. Virat Kohli holds the third position with 291 sixes, while MS Dhoni sits at the fourth spot with 264 sixes. AB de Villiers ranks fifth with 251 sixes.
A Look at Kohli’s IPL Career
For the record, 37-year-old Virat Kohli has been playing in the Indian Premier League since 2008. He has played 267 IPL matches to date. Batting with a strike rate of 132.9 and an average of 39.5, Kohli has amassed a total of 8,661 runs in the Indian Premier League. He has 8 centuries and 63 half-centuries to his name in the IPL. Kohli also holds the distinction of being the player with the most runs and the most half-centuries in the tournament.