Virat Kohli added another landmark to his illustrious career on Wednesday, becoming the most-capped player in the history of the Indian Premier League after featuring for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur. The appearance was Kohli's 279th IPL match, taking him past long-time record holders MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, who were tied with him on 278 games before the contest. This moment further strengthened Kohli's status as one of the defining faces of the league since its launch in 2008.
Kohli moves clear at the top
Kohli has represented only one franchise throughout his IPL journey — RCB — making the milestone even more significant. His record-breaking appearance came in a crucial game for RCB, who are pushing for a playoff berth in IPL 2026. Dhoni, despite being part of the Chennai Super Kings squad this season, is yet to feature due to injury concerns, while Rohit continues to play for Mumbai Indians and remains level with the CSK legend.
Kohli now stands alone at the top of the all-time appearances list:
- Virat Kohli – 279
- MS Dhoni – 278
- Rohit Sharma – 278
- Ravindra Jadeja – 265
- Dinesh Karthik – 257
- Shikhar Dhawan – 222
- Ravichandran Ashwin – 221
- Ajinkya Rahane – 209
- Suresh Raina – 205
- Robin Uthappa – 205
Record comes in playoff race clash
The milestone came as RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first in Raipur. Captain Rajat Patidar said the surface was expected to behave similarly to their previous outing there, with variable bounce likely to influence the contest. RCB entered the game with seven wins from 11 matches and were looking to tighten their grip on a playoff spot after a dramatic win over Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane said his team remained hopeful of making a late playoff charge after four consecutive victories. But before the first ball was bowled, the spotlight belonged to Kohli.
From being RCB's teenage signing in 2008 to now standing alone as the IPL's most-capped player, the 37-year-old's latest record is another reminder of his longevity — and his central role in shaping the tournament's history.
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