Rating Virat Kohli's IPL career: Best and worst seasons ranked

Virat Kohli (Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

The Indian Premier League is in its 18th edition. Over the years, it has continued to thrill audiences around the globe with glorious exhibitions of power-packed performances, nail-biting clashes, and global appeal. The league has been ever-dynamic in terms of various parameters so far. However, has continued to be a constant force amidst the chaos. 

Kohli stands as one amongst four players to have played in all 18 editions of the IPL till date. Ever since the inception of the marquee T20 league, Kohli has represented . He has since grown into one of the most iconic faces of the tournament when it comes to batting brilliance and on-field passion.

Kohli's supporters and cricket fans in general have witnessed his evolution from an upcoming youngster to a seasoned pro who has enjoyed carrying the burden of expectations on his shoulders. 

Over the years, fans have witnessed his evolution from a promising youngster to a seasoned maestro who has carried the weight of expectations on his shoulders. In this article, we will rank all of Kohli’s individual IPL seasons from 2008 to 2025 in terms of impact, statistics, and influence on the game.

Rating Virat Kohli's IPL Career: Best to worst seasons 1. IPL 2016

The 2016 instalment of the IPL remains Kohli's most prolific one. With an unprecedented tally of 973 runs in 16 games, he stood as the leading run-getter of the season by quite some distance. A total of seven fifties and four tons were scored at an impressive strike rate of 152.03.

RCB finished second on the points table, with 16 points from 14 games. They defeated the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1 to secure their place in the final. It was not meant to be for RCB, as Sunrisers Hyderabad ended up clinching a narrow eight-run victory at the Chinnaswamy.

2. IPL 2024

The 2024 season does not stand much behind than 2016 in terms of the sheer prowess which was displayed by Kohli. He accounted for 741 runs in 15 games. This was the same season in which he ended up scoring his highest score in the IPL (113*) as well as his highest strike rate (154.69) thus far.

After just one win in their first eight games, Kohli & Co. turned the tables to win six games in a row to just about qualify for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they were defeated by the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator by four wickets.

3. IPL 2023

Kohli's run in the 2023 campaign was one of the only two seasons (barring 2016) where he had scored more than one ton. 639 runs were scored in 14 games. This was the same season where Kohli notched up back-to-back centuries.

IPL 2023 turned out to be quite a middling campaign for RCB. There were a lot of inconsistencies in their performance. They ended their season finishing sixth with seven wins and as many losses. Notably, this was Kohli's final year as RCB skipper.

4. IPL 2025

The current season has seen Kohli rack up 505 runs in 11 matches. The ace batter has scored seven fifties in the 11 games played. There has been a considerable shift in Kohli's approach during the powerplay when it comes to IPL 2025.

After a stop-start beginning to the season, RCB put together a four-game winning streak to become firm contenders to finish in the top two of the points table. However, there campaign came to a halt after the Board of Control for Cricket in India opted on pausing the tournament until further notice.

5. IPL 2013

In his first IPL season as skipper of the franchise, Kohli impressed with the bat with 634 runs under his belt in 16 games. He missed out on getting to his maiden IPL ton in one of RCB's games against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) after getting run out on 99.

RCB missed out on qualifying for the playoffs despite getting to 18 points by the end of the group stage. RR (third) and SRH (fourth), both of which ended up on 20 points, possessed a net run rate inferior to that of RCB. This marked Kohli’s debut season as RCB captain.

6. IPL 2011

This was the first season that Kohli was pushed up the order to primarily bat at No. 3 from the usual middle-order role he was assigned till the 2010 edition. With 557 runs under his belt in 16 innings, it was quite an encouraging start by Kohli.

RCB finished on top of the points table for the first time in four seasons. They won the second qualifying final (43 runs vs MI) after losing the first one (six wickets vs CSK). However, CSK triumphed against RCB in the final again, this time by 58 runs. 

7. IPL 2018

2018 was yet another year for Kohli where he had a 500-plus IPL season. Although he scored only four half-centuries, Kohli was able to piece together a sufficient number of runs. Quite a few innings of his this year were a perfect combination of anchoring and power-hitting.

RCB ended up sixth in 2018. 10 games into the season and they could not even string together consecutive victories. Yet again, third-placed Kolkata Knight Riders (-0.070) and fourth-placed RR (-0.250) had an inferior NRR in comparison to RCB (+0.129).

8. IPL 2015

Despite attaining his fifty only thrice in 16 matches, Kohli was able to breach the 500-run mark in 2015. A total of 35 fours and 23 sixes were hit by the batting maestro. Notably, this was also the IPL season in which he remained not out the most number of times in a single season (five).

Two games of RCB were called off due to the involvement of rain halfway through the fixture. This led to them ending up in third place, with Mumbai Indians claiming second spot (based on more number of wins). RCB were unable to overcome CSK in Qualifier 2 after getting past the Eliminator.

9. IPL 2019

Kohli's fifth ton in IPL history came during this season. It was a truly special knock against KKR at the Eden Gardens, one that came in a winning cause. However, there was nothing much to speak about the other 13 innings. Kohli could score only 364 runs in them.

RCB could never really recover from their dismal start to the season, which saw them lose seven of their first eight games. They ultimately ended up right at the bottom of the heap despite winning four of their final five completed fixtures. 

10. IPL 2017

Coming on the back of a stupendous 973-run campaign in IPL 2016, the 2017 season was quite a letdown in comparison. Kohli could muster a paltry 308 runs in the 10 games he featured in. He missed the initial phase of the tournament while recuperating from a shoulder injury.

The then-skipper's slump in form had a clear ripple effect on the team's performance. They encountered what can arguably be classified as the worst season for RCB in the history of the IPL. The franchise won only three of their 13 completed games (one match against SRH was washed out).   

11. IPL 2020

The 2020 edition was the first season of the three back-to-back ones, wherein Kohli could never really get going at the crease. He could score at a strike rate of just 121.35 on the pitches of the UAE, where not a lot of batters could strike at their usual tempo.

Four consecutive losses in their final four games meant RCB ended up as one amongst three sides to be finishing on 14 points after 14 matches. SRH edged past RCB in a nervy, low-scoring contest in the Eliminator.

12. IPL 2021

Year 2021 was not too different for Kohli as compared to the aforementioned one. He scored the same number of fifties as he did in 2020 (three). All of this came while operating at a meagre strike rate of just 119.46.

RCB finished third on the points table, with NRR being the differentiator for CSK to finish second despite the latter having lost their final three group-stage games. KKR claimed victory in the Eliminator to knock RCB out of the competition for the second season in a row.

13. IPL 2014

With only two fifties to his name, Kohli scored only 359 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 122.10. This was one of those seasons for Kohli that did not play out as per the lofty expectations that were anticipated from him.

An interesting pattern played out for RCB in 2014. They lost three staight matches at different instances of their journey. With an NRR of -0.428, RCB finished on the penultimate position in the league, four points shy of the fourth-placed side.

14. IPL 2012

In one additional innings than the 2014 edition, Kohli could register only 364 runs at a modest strike rate of 111.65. Kohli struggled to rotate strike in addition to hitting the big shots when needed by his side in crunch moments.

CSK pipped RCB to seal a spot in the playoffs by winning their final game of the league phase by 86 runs, while RCB lost theirs by nine runs. Both sides ended with 17 points (eight wins and seven losses), with CSK going through due to NRR. 

15. IPL 2010

Although striking at a significant 144.81, Kohli only scored 307 runs in 13 innings. He could rack up only one half-century; a 35-ball 58-run knock coming against Deccan Chargers in a losing cause at the Chinnaswamy. Kohli was dismissed on the fourth delivery of the final over of RCB's innings.

RCB made their way through to the top four by winning seven out of the 14 group-stage contests. After losing out to MI in the first semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium, RCB took on DC in the third-place playoff at the same venue. They managed to win the game comprehensively by nine wickets and 37 balls to spare.   

16. IPL 2009

Kohli's second season in the IPL was a level toned down as compared to his 2010 version. Playing the same number of innings (13), he scored 246 runs throughout the tournament which was held in South Africa. He scored only one half-century.  

After getting defeated in four of their first five matches, RCB finished strong with four wins on the trot. The second semi-final and final was played on consecutive days. RCB failed to chase down a par score in the final against DCH to come agonisingly short of the title. 

17. IPL 2008

In 12 innings in Kohli and the IPL's first season, he faced only 157 deliveries. The then-20-year-old could garner only 165 runs. Kohli's strike rate of 105.09 this season remains his lowest in any season of the IPL. Kohli was mostly used as a lower-middle-order batter.

RCB ended in the penultimate position on the table. At one point, they had only won twice after 11 games. RCB ended up as the side with the worst NRR that season (-1.160) despite DCH concluding their campaign with only two wins on the board as compared to RCB's four.  

18. IPL 2022

As far as Kohli's distinguished history in the IPL is concerned, IPL 2022 served as a glaring anamoly for the star batter. He scaped together only 341 runs in 16 games. His strike rate (115.98) was unusually low too. Kohli had bagged not one, not two, but three golden ducks in this season.

Due to timely performances coming from Kohli's teammates, RCB were successful in making it to the playoffs. They emerged victorious over Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator, but were defeated by RR in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad.