Virat Kohli vs Shreyas Iyer - comparing their stats after 118 IPL games

With supreme consistency and the ability to convert his starts into a big knock, Virat Kohli is the finest batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history. He has garnered 8,094 runs in 254 games at an average of 38.91.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter began his IPL 2025 campaign on a high, scoring a match-winning 59* off 36 against Kolkata Knight Riders. He then played a 31-run knock off 30 balls against Chennai Super Kings, which saw RCB secure a 50-run victory.

Meanwhile, IPL 2024-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer is leading the Punjab Kings in the ongoing edition. Iyer kicked off the season with a sensational knock of 97* off 42, helping the side post 243 and win by 11 runs against Gujarat Titans.

Thereafter, Iyer garnered 52* off 30 against Lucknow Super Giants, once again playing a key role in the team's victory.

On that note, let's check out how Shreyas Iyer has fared in comparison to Virat Kohli after 118 games in the cash-rich league.

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#1 Average and strike rate

Beginning his IPL career for RCB in 2008, Virat Kohli's 118th appearance came mid-way in the 2015 season. Until this point, he had scored 3,049 runs at an average of 32.78 and a strike rate of 124.25.

His top score of 99* off 58 balls helped RCB to seal the 180-run chase easily against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).

Player	Runs	Average	Strike rate
Virat Kohli	3,049	32.78	124.25
Shreyas Iyer	3,276	33.77	129.74

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer kickstarted his IPL career in 2015 for the Capitals and remained with the side until 2021. He played for KKR in the subsequent three seasons.

So far, the PBKS skipper has garnered 3,276 runs at an average of 33.77 and a strike rate of 129.74. He registered his best knock of 97* off 42 against Gujarat Titans.

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#2 Captaincy

Virat Kohli's first game as a captain for RCB came in the 2011 season, where he led in three games. He then served the same role in seven games in 2012 before becoming a permanent captain in 2013. Until his 118th IPL appearance, Kohli had tasted victory in 28 out of 51 games.

Under Kohli, RCB registered their biggest victory by 138 runs against Punjab Kings in the 2015 season.

Player	Matches	Wins	Loss	No result
Virat Kohli	51	28	21	2
Shreyas Iyer	72	42	29	1

Shreyas Iyer started his leadership stint for the Capitals in 2018. He led them to the playoffs in the next two seasons while helping the franchise reach the final for the first time in 2020.

Thereafter, Iyer captained the KKR side from 2022 and led them to a title victory in the 2024 season. With two wins under his belt in 2025, his record stands at 42-29 in 72 games.

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#3 Most 50+ scores in a winning cause

Virat Kohli's style of play and technique have allowed him to play big knocks in the IPL, which has helped RCB end games on a winning note. Until his 118th game, the veteran batter managed to register nine 50+ scores in a winning cause. His best knock of 99 came against Delhi Capitals in the 2013 season.

It is worth noting that Kohli has managed to reach triple figures on eight occasions, since first hitting a hundred in 2016. However, none of them came during his first 118 games.

Player	Total 50s	Winning cause	Losing cause
Virat Kohli	18	9	9
Shreyas Iyer	23	16	7

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer has scored a total of 23 half-centuries to date in the tournament. Out of them, he has won the games for his respective sides on 16 occasions.