At Sawai Mansingh Stadium, in Match 50 of the 2025 Indian Premier League against the Rajasthan Royals, the top batsman for the Mumbai Indians reached the milestone.
MI won by 100 runs thanks in large part to his 53-run knock.
Here, we contrast the IPL opening-round statistics of Rohit and Virat Kohli, the star for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Kohli Leaves Rohit Behind in IPL Opening Stats
As per ESPNcricinfo, Rohit Sharma has accumulated 3,041 runs as an IPL opener in 112 innings, becoming the 12th player to reach the 3,000-run mark in this role. However, he remains the only batter in this elite list with an average below 30 — currently at 28.96.
In contrast, Virat Kohli has opened the innings in 123 matches and has racked up 4,795 runs — the third-highest for any IPL opener. His impressive average of 47 is second only to one opener with a better figure (48.96) among those who have crossed 3,000 runs.
Strike Rate Comparison: Kohli Ahead Again
While Rohit is often regarded as a more aggressive batter, the numbers tell a different story. Kohli boasts a superior strike rate of 138.42 as an opener, significantly ahead of Rohit’s 133.61.
50+ Scores: Kohli Dominates
Kohli has notched up 45 scores of 50 or more while opening, the third-most in IPL history, trailing only David Warner (60) and Shikhar Dhawan (49). Each of Kohli’s eight IPL centuries has come while opening — a record unmatched by any other batter. Jos Buttler is the only other player with more than six IPL tons (7). Meanwhile, Rohit lags behind with just 19 50+ scores and a solitary century.
Impact in Victories: Kohli More Effective
Kohli has scored 2,896 runs as an opener in winning causes — 60% of his runs at the top — averaging a remarkable 62.95 with a strike rate of 144.51 in those games. Rohit has scored 1,776 runs (58% of his opening runs) in wins, averaging 35.52 at a strike rate of 136.30. Kohli clearly has a greater impact when it matters most.
Overall IPL Careers: Kohli Still Leads
Rohit Sharma has now amassed 6,921 runs in 267 IPL matches at an average of 29.8, including 46 fifties and 2 centuries. He sits second on the all-time run-scoring list.
At the top is Virat Kohli, with 8,447 runs from 262 games at an average of 39.47. His tally includes eight centuries and 61 half-centuries, further underlining his consistent dominance.