IPL 2026 has entered its concluding stage, with Qualifier 1 all set to be played between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Gujarat Titans at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on May 26. RCB’s star batter Virat Kohli is on the verge of scripting history, as Kohli will become the most-capped player in IPL history.
Virat Kohli to become the most-capped player in IPL history
Kohli will hold the top spot till 2027 with 282 matches, while he is currently sharing 281 caps with former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma. Mumbai Indians and Rohit Sharma’s IPL 2026 campaign ended with their last league stage match against the Rajasthan Royals, which the Riyan Parag-led side won by 30-runs to seal their playoff spot.
MS Dhoni sits second on the list
MS Dhoni, who didn’t feature in any IPL match this season, was the most-capped player before the start of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League. Dhoni, who suffered a calf injury ahead of the IPL season, sits second on the list with 278 matches.
The 37-year-old is guaranteed to feature in at least two more games this season – Qualifier 1 and one additional match. That second game could either be the final or another knockout clash if RCB lose Qualifier 1. Kohli might also play a third match only if RCB are beaten in the first qualifier but bounce back by winning Qualifier 2 to reach the final.
Virat Kohli’s IPL journey
Virat Kohli made his IPL debut in 2008 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the franchise quickly identified him as a future superstar. Ahead of IPL 2011, Kohli was the only player retained by RCB. He first captained the side as a stand-in skipper in 2011 before being officially named the team’s full-time captain before the 2013 season.
Under Kohli’s leadership, RCB reached the IPL final in 2016 but fell short against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite the heartbreak, 2016 turned out to be a historic season for Kohli personally, as he amassed a total of 973 runs to win the Orange Cap. He eventually stepped down as RCB captain after the 2021 IPL season.
After years of hard work, patience, and failure, Kohli finally lifted his maiden IPL trophy under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar in 2025. With 9,218 runs from 281 matches, Virat Kohli sits at the top of the IPL run-scoring charts by a huge margin, with no other batter even crossing the 7,500-run milestone. His century tally is 9, along with 67 half-centuries. Kohli also holds the unique distinction of being the only player to represent a single franchise – Royal Challengers Bengaluru – in every IPL season since the league began.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Qualifier 1: Date, Venue, Time and Teams; Full Match Details Here
