Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history. The Royal Challengers Bangalore batter has scored 6788 runs in 226 matches played until now. Kohli's record of scoring 973 runs in 16 matches during the 2016 IPL season is still unbeaten. However, his team failed to win the title that year. Kohli has played alongside South African cricket legend Ab de Villiers for over a decade in the IPL, and the two share a strong bond of friendship. Kohli's exceptional performance in the cash-rich league has made him one of the greatest players in its history.
Recently, in a Q&A session on Jio Cinema, Ab de Villiers was asked to name the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) of the IPL. He chose a Chennai Super Kings legend instead of Kohli. De Villiers named MS Dhoni, the 41-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who is leading CSK in the ongoing 2023 IPL season, as the G.O.A.T. of the IPL.
Dhoni is a four-time IPL winner with CSK and is one of the seven batters who have managed to score over 5000 runs in the tournament. He also holds the record for scoring the most runs in IPL history against RCB.
De Villiers' choice of Dhoni did not come as a surprise to many, given Dhoni's impressive record in the tournament. When asked about his decision, De Villiers stated that MSD was the G.O.A.T. in the Tata IPL 2023 for him. Even though Kohli's numbers in the IPL are extraordinary, Dhoni's leadership skills and his performances in the tournament have made him the G.O.A.T. for many cricket enthusiasts.
Until now, Dhoni has featured in every edition of the lucrative league, a total of 16, and has been instrumental in leading CSK to nine IPL finals and 11 playoffs in the 13 seasons they have participated in. On April 12, the 41-year-old veteran made history by captaining a single franchise in 200 IPL matches, becoming the first player to achieve this feat.
The match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals at Chepauk marked Dhoni's 200th game as captain of CSK. Despite his impressive performance with the bat towards the end, he was unable to guide his team to victory.
