The 2024 auctions of the IPL are just around the corner. And therefore, the management of each of the ten franchises are all set to build their teams for the season. The IPL betting fraternity will soar high, looking for the six hitters.
Some of them will be on the lookout for some huge hitters and, therefore, can very well take inspiration from this article, where we will take a look at the top five hitters in the history of the tournament.
The reason we are calling them “hitters” is because we will take a look at the number of maximums these people have hit.
The Five Batters With Most Sixes in IPL History
Here are the five batters and the number of sixes they hit. First, take a look at the table, which will give you a complete picture.
After this, we can take a look at each one of them up close.
| Player | Matches | Number of Sixes |
| Chris Gayle | 142 | 357 |
| Rohit Sharma | 243 | 257 |
| Ab de Villers | 184 | 251 |
| MS Dhoni | 250 | 239 |
| Virat Kohli | 237 | 234 |
Chris Gayle:
Gayle made his IPL debut in 2009 as he took the field for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). By the time he was done playing, eleven years later, he had hit 357 maximums.
- He would go on to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) hitting a record 357 sixes in 142 matches.
- Gayle’s strength is to clear the front leg, go onto the backfoot, and carve away the bowler for a maximum. His sheer brute force ensured that he hit record maximums, and even as of writing this report, he is still 100 sixes ahead of his closest competitor Rohit Sharma.
Rohit Sharma:
The India captain made his IPL debut in 2008 with the Deccan Chargers, after which he would move onto the Mumbai Indians, where he would become a legend of sorts.
- As of now, he has featured in 243 matches and smashed 257 maximums in the process.
- Rohit usually uses his feet against the spinner, but against the pacer, he hits those big shots right from the crease which tells you a lot about his hand power.
- He can smash you through the covers or can also hit you over long on.
Ab de Villers:
Known as Mr. 360 for his ability to hit shots all across the park, De Villiers played 184 IPL games where he accounted for 251 maximums.
- After making his debut for Delhi Daredevils, he moved to RCB and became a legend thanks to his ability to hit maximums all across the park.
- He became a crucial cog in RCB in middle order, and if you were a bowler, you wished that he didn’t get going.
MS Dhoni:
A former India captain, Dhoni has a separate legendary in the IPL. Once he became the captain, he led the Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles, but he was excellent with the bat as well.
- His ability to slam the spinners as well as the pacers right from the crease made him a dangerous batter who could take the game away from you.
- That’s why he hit 239 sixes in 250 IPL games.
Virat Kohli:
Virat Kohli is the fifth and final person on our list.
Unlike some of the above-mentioned names, Kohli is a different batter altogether.
- He usually eats up 10 to 20 balls to settle down before accelerating.
- Unlike Gayle or Sharma, who could go after the bowler right from the word ‘go’, Kohli takes his own time, but when he settles down, he compensates with his orthodox batting.
- He hit 234 sixes in the 237 matches he played.
- He picks up the spinners quite early, dancing down the track and hitting them for maximums.
- Against pacers too, he creates some room before carving them for maximums.
Final Thoughts
Chris Gayle clearly stands apart here. In fact, he has 100 more sixes to his name than his closest competitor Rohit Sharma.
However, Gayle can be surpassed since he has retired, which leaves the likes of Sharma and Kohli as the next possible successors. Especially Sharma, who will definitely play for at least 3 to 4 years in the IPL.
Moreover, Kohli, who is the second batter on the table and hasn’t called time on his IPL career, is bound to move up the table.
