Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan holds the record for hitting the most fours in IPL history, having smacked 654 boundaries so far. In a league as competitive and as enthralling as the Indian Premier League, it is essential for any batsman to find gaps in the field and send the ball to the boundary with ease.
While much of the discussion during the Indian Premier League revolves around gigantic sixes, fours are almost as important to a team’s and a player’s cause. Sometimes, field placements or the situation of a match might make hitting sixes a very risky tactic. In such a case, batsmen should know how to pierce the field and look for boundaries.
Of course, there are certain players who simply use their brute power to make the ball sail over the ropes and into the stands. However, most batters have to rely on timing and skill in order to find fours and accelerate the innings.
Below is the list of players who have hit the most fours in IPL. Interestingly, none of the players who are among the top five six-hitters in the history of IPL finds a place in this list.
Most fours in IPL: Know the top 10 list of players
| Pos | Player | Matches | Runs | 4s | 6s | Average | Strike Rate |
| 1 | Shikhar Dhawan | 192 | 5784 | 654 | 124 | 34.84 | 126.64 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | 207 | 6283 | 546 | 210 | 37.39 | 129.94 |
| 3 | David Warner | 150 | 5449 | 525 | 201 | 41.59 | 139.96 |
| 4 | Suresh Raina | 205 | 5528 | 506 | 203 | 32.51 | 136.76 |
| 5 | Gautam Gambhir | 154 | 5611 | 492 | 59 | 31.23 | 123.88 |
| 6 | Rohit Sharma | 213 | 5611 | 491 | 227 | 31.17 | 130.39 |
| 7 | Robin Uthappa | 193 | 4722 | 462 | 168 | 27.94 | 130.15 |
| 8 | Ajinkya Rahane | 151 | 3941 | 417 | 76 | 31.52 | 121.33 |
| 9 | AB de Villiers | 184 | 5162 | 413 | 251 | 39.70 | 151.68 |
| 10 | Chris Gayle | 142 | 4965 | 404 | 357 | 39.72 | 148.96 |
Shikhar Dhawan | 654 fours
Shikhar Dhawan leads the list of players with the maximum fours in the league history by quite a comfortable margin. Having played 192 matches, he has 654 boundaries to his name. Dhawan has also amassed 5784 runs during that period at an average of 34.84 and is the second-highest run-scorer in IPL history. The southpaw hit the most boundaries in IPL 2019 and IPL 2020 and was second-best last season, falling behind Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Dhawan has also smacked two centuries, both of them arriving in consecutive matches in IPL 2020 and he’s also second on the list of players with the most fifties in IPL, having scored 50 runs on 44 occasions! Punjab Kings signed the swashbuckling opening batsman for a whopping INR 8.25 CR for IPL 2022!
Virat Kohli | 546 fours
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL with 6283 runs from 199 matches. Naturally, he finds himself very high in the list of batsmen with the most fours in the Indian Premier League. Kohli occupies the second position on this list with 546 boundaries – 108 less than Dhawan’s tally.
Virat Kohli’s numbers in the Indian Premier League are genuinely mind-boggling. He has scored five centuries, 42 fifties, he has hit 210 sixes and is sixth on the list of players with the most sixes. Kohli also has an average of 37.39 and also holds the record for the most runs in a single IPL season when he smacked 973 runs in IPL 2016.
David Warner | 525 fours
David Warner is arguably the greatest overseas batsman in the Indian Premier League. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad is the fifth-highest run-scorer and is the only batsman in the history of IPL to have won the coveted Orange Cap three times. He’s third on this list having smashed 525 boundaries in 150 matches. The Australian opener has also scored 5449 runs at an average of 41.59.
Warner has slammed four centuries in the Indian Premier League and led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in 2016. He also has 201 sixes to his name. David Warner had a very public fallout with SRH last season but he’s expected to have a strong campaign in new colours after Delhi Capitals snapped him up for only INR 6.25 CR!
Suresh Raina | 506 fours
Suresh Raina had been a mainstay of the Chennai Super Kings franchise for a very long time. His exploits in the Indian Premier League were so great that he was affectionately called as ‘Mr. IPL.’ Raina is one of the finest and most consistent performers in the history of the league and he has scored 5528 runs from 205 matches at an average of 32.51. When it comes to hitting boundaries, he is fourth on the list having smashed 506 fours in his IPL career.
The left-hander has also hit 203 sixes and has played some of the most stunning knocks the league has seen. Raina also has a century and 39 half-centuries to his name and has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings. The veteran batsman wasn’t picked in the IPL 2022 mega auction and will be missed in the upcoming season.
Gautam Gambhir | 492 fours
Gautam Gambhir led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL glory in 2012 and 2014 and is one of the best captains in the history of the Indian Premier League. He was also an immensely reliable and consistent batsman and occupies the fifth spot in the list of players with the most fours. Gambhir has hit 492 boundaries during his IPL career and has also scored 4217 runs at an average of 31.
Gambhir was one of the best timers of the ball in IPL and relied heavily on picking gaps in the field and converting ones into twos. He crossed the 50-run mark 36 times in IPL. The former Indian opener last played in IPL 2018 for Delhi Capitals and he is now the mentor of new IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants.
Rohit Sharma | 491 fours
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma is among the best players to grace the Indian Premier League. Rohit holds the record for winning the most number of IPL titles as a player and has lifted the prestigious trophy a record six times! (five with Mumbai Indians, once with Deccan Chargers)
The swashbuckling opener has hit 491 boundaries in IPL and is the third-highest run-scorer in the history of the Indian Premier League. Rohit has smashed 5611 runs in 213 matches at an average of 31.17. He’s also the most successful captain in IPL history and is third on the list of players with the most sixes having crossed the boundary 227 times. Rohit also has a century and 40 IPL fifties beside his name.
Robin Uthappa | 462 fours
Robin Uthappa is perhaps the most underrated player in the history of the Indian Premier League. He enjoyed several years of success with Royal Challengers Bangalore and especially, Kolkata Knight Riders winning the IPL 2014 title with the latter while also receiving the Orange Cap as the highest-scorer that season.
Uthappa has scored 462 fours in the Indian Premier League and is the ninth-highest run scorer of all time with 4722 runs in 193 matches. He has slammed 25 half-centuries and has the highest score of 87. In the IPL 2022 mega auction, Robin Uthappa was bought by defending champions CSK at his base price of INR 2 CR.
Ajinkya Rahane | 417 fours
Former Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane is eighth on this list and he has managed 417 fours in his IPL career so far. Despite being in the twilight phase of his career with most of his appearances coming in the longest format, his achievements during his prime cannot be understated. Rahane is a team player who is flexible and is able to bat at any position according to the needs of his team.
He has scored 3941 runs in 151 matches at a solid average of 31.52. However, it is his strike rate of 121.33 which has prevented him from being a really great T20 player. Rahane is not blessed with brute strength and instead relies on the timing of his shots and techniques to find boundaries. He has scored two IPL centuries and has 28 half-centuries to his name. Ajinkya Rahane was acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2022 mega auction for his base price of INR 1 CR!
AB De Villiers | 413 fours
AB De Villiers is arguably the most entertaining and mesmerizing batter in the history of the Indian Premier League. ‘Mr. 360’ could play almost every kind of shot in the book and even came up with several improvisations that not only stunned opposition bowlers and fielders, but millions of people watching him from all over the world.
De Villiers has scored 413 fours in his IPL career and he is the only overseas batsman besides David Warner to have crossed the landmark of 5000 IPL runs. The South African sensation has an IPL average close to 40 and batted an outrageous strike rate of 151.68.
He is also second on the list of players with the most sixes in the history of the competition with 251 sixes to his name. De Villiers has slammed three IPL centuries and in IPL 2016, both he and Virat Kohli got centuries in the same match against Gujarat Lions. AB De Villiers decided to retire from the IPL after the 2021 season.
Chris Gayle | 404 fours
Finally, we come to the Universe Boss Chris Gayle who completes the list and honestly, the only reason why he is so low on this list is because he prefers going the aerial route instead. Chris Gayle lit up the Indian Premier League in his heyday with unbelievable batting prowess and it’s not surprising that he leads the list of players who have hit the most sixes. Gayle has smacked 357 sixes in the IPL – 106 more than anybody else.
He has also scored 404 boundaries and Gayle was the undisputed king of mammoth knocks. His innings of 175* against Pune Warriors India in 2013 continues to be the highest individual score in not just IPL, but all of T20 cricket. The former West Indies captain had collected 4965 runs in his IPL career at an average of 39.72 and at a strike rate of 148.96. Gayle also holds the record for the most IPL centuries having crossed the three-figure mark six times and he has also managed 31 fifties. Much like his former RCB teammate AB De Villiers, Chris Gayle also decided to hang his boots after IPL 2021.
FAQs
Who has hit the most sixes in IPL?
Chris Gayle, with 357 sixes, holds the record for smashing the most sixes in the history of the Indian Premier League.
Who has hit the most fours in IPL 2021?
Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings hit the most boundaries in IPL 2021. He hit 64 fours throughout the competition and won the Orange Cap while guiding CSK to the title.
Who has scored the most runs in IPL history?
With 6283 runs, Virat Kohli holds the record for scoring the most runs in IPL history.
Who has the most fours in IPL 2020?
Former Delhi Capitals batsman Shikhar Dhawan hit 67 fours in IPL 2020 – the most by any batsman that season.
