The Most Sixes by a Batsman in an Inning in IPL
IPL (Indian Premier League) has seen some of the most incredible cricket moments. Power-hitting has become an integral part of this cash-rich T20 tournament.
Retired West Indies star Chris Gayle holds the record for most sixes scored during an innings in IPL with 357 maximums, followed by Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers, and Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli.
Chris Gayle
As one of the most thrilling scenes in cricket, watching a batter smash the white ball around and incite crowd reactions is undoubtedly exciting. Some batsmen take this momentous act a step further by unleashing their destructive powers with every shot they hit; preferring sixes over fours and leaving opponents bowlers stunned are among them; turning T20 matches into thrilling spectacles!
Chris Gayle was instrumental in popularising Twenty20 cricket and its subsequent leagues around the world. Dubbed “The Universe Boss”, West Indies batsman Gayle quickly established himself as an influential presence within this format, rising quickly through to senior cricket through 2007 when he scored the inaugural century in Twenty20 internationals against South Africa with a 57-ball 117 innings against them in 2007. When leagues began seeking international stars as key batting threats, Gayle became their obvious pick to lead their batting attacks.
Ervin has become an unmatched force in limited-overs cricket with his powerful hitting and uncompromising approach, becoming one of the premier T20 batsman. Additionally, his no-holds barred approach and hunger for big scores have served him well during Test matches as well.
Gayle holds the all-time leading sixer total in IPL history with 357 sixes he has hit to date. Rohit Sharma sits second with 257 maximums to his name. Next comes RCB star AB de Villiers who hit 251 runs over boundary ropes during his time. And finally MS Dhoni completed this top five list of cricketers with 239 maximums scored during their career.
Gayle may no longer feature as prominently for Windies T20 matches, yet he remains an incredible force in T20 cricket. Recently playing for Rangpur Riders in Bangladesh Premier League he scored an incredible innings of 146 off 69 balls which included 17 sixes; breaking his previous record set back in 2013.
Brendon McCullum
Brendon McCullum was an aggressive and vicious batsman renowned for his brutal hitting style that could unnerve bowling attacks like few others in cricket. His aggressive hitting was one of the primary reasons New Zealand reached the final of the 2015 World Cup; additionally he was an integral member of New Zealand’s test side as well as capitalising on limited-overs opportunities when available.
McCullum lit up the inaugural Indian Premier League tournament when he made his debut for Kolkata Knight Riders, smashing 13 sixes and 10 fours to score an astounding total of 158 runs – the highest individual score at that time in an IPL match.
McCullum’s spectacular strokeplay gave those doubting the quality and intensity of the league a reason to change their mind about franchise-style T20 formats, as his quickfire strikes convinced everyone of their great value.
McCullum made waves in his inaugural IPL season with his powerful batting ability and showmanship on the field, leaving everyone impressed by his showmanship on and off the pitch. Since then he has become an integral member of New Zealand batting orders in both test and ODI formats as well as serving as wicketkeeper in domestic T20 competitions.
McCullum would go on to dominate T20 cricket with both bat and glove, breaking several records including fastest century in T20 cricket history. Additionally, he remains the only batsman who has scored three hundred-plus scores during a T20I career.
New Zealander Ross Taylor became the first batter ever to score two T20I centuries in one calendar year, as well as being an outstanding run-scorer in all forms of cricket and an exhilarating batsman to watch. An opening batsman is an essential asset in any batting lineup; thus a must-have item at any IPL auction.
Murali Vijay
Murali Vijay is an accomplished six-hitter for Chennai Super Kings’ opening batsman and opening batsman who has made a name for himself with his ability to strike sixes from across the park, earning himself numerous call-ups from both national ODI and Test teams, not to mention leading their franchise to two IPL championships. His remarkable hitting has garnered him multiple call-ups to international squads such as India as well.
Vijay began his competitive Indian cricket career late, at 17 he was playing college cricket when his talent caught the attention of Tamil Nadu coach Bharat Arun who put him through to play Ranji Trophy cricket for Tamil Nadu. While it took some time to adjust, once settled Vijay quickly established himself – in 2008/09 alone, his 462-run partnership for first wicket with Abhinav Mukund fell just 2 runs shy of being the world record in Ranji matches!
India awarded him with a Test cap against Australia in the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series; although he didn’t score an important hundred during that series, his resilience and temperament convinced selectors he was an ideal opener for their country.
As India toured England in 2014, Harbhajan Singh got another opportunity to prove himself on Test soil. Here he truly established himself as an excellent opener, scoring an unbeaten 97 against James Anderson’s swing at Durban before setting up an unbeaten 127 against Trent Bridge spinner James Anderson at Trent Bridge.
Vijay has continued his impressive performances for CSK in this IPL season, too. His recent 89-ball 106 against Sunriser Hyderabad featured several sixes while in 2018 his 93 run innings against Delhi Capitals saw sixes galore! Since joining CSK he has scored over 3000 runs for their franchise while being one of only four players to record four 50+ scores this year alone; making his big hitting prowess key in winning back the crown this time.
Virat Kohli
Few things are more exciting than watching an exhilarating batsman blast the white ball around a cricket ground with devastating force. Such players are an essential component of every team as their brute strength can not only sustain run-chases but also alter game balance in their favor. Some batters possess an uncanny knack for hitting long shots regularly over the boundary; such players include Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli who all made successful careers playing IPL cricket with successful careers including Rohit Sharma Kieron Pollard MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli among others.
Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen ever seen playing cricket and has found great success in IPL cricket. As Indian captain, Kohli has amassed numerous runs in this cash-rich league and holds the record for most centuries by an Indian player (eight). On April 6, against Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur he scored his eighth IPL century.
He has already become one of the leading run-scorers in IPL 2022 with over 800 runs in six matches averaging over 88 average. Currently ranked third overall behind Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers.
Though widely considered one of the greatest batsmen ever, Kohli does have his critics. In particular, some have accused him of slowing his innings down too much and taking too long to reach 100 runs. Yet this year in IPL he’s determined to show them who’s boss by producing in every innings he plays – more proof if ever were needed!
His 459 sixes in 184 IPL matches is an amazing achievement that makes him one of the greatest batsmen ever seen in IPL history. Additionally, this former RCB opener set several other records including most IPL sixes by an Indian player, highest average batsman score in an innings and most runs for single wicket. A formidable force both white-ball and red-ball cricket, he remains an influential figure for India’s future prospects.
