Sai Sudharsan scripts history, joins Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle in elite IPL club

NEW DELHI: Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan continued his dream IPL run on Friday, entering an elite club alongside Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle during another superb knock in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

The stylish left-hander scored 58 off just 32 balls and in the process completed his ninth 50-plus score of IPL 2026 — joint second-highest in a single season in tournament history.




More significantly, Sudharsan crossed the 700-run mark for the second consecutive IPL season, becoming only the third batter ever after Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle to record multiple 700-plus campaigns in the tournament.

The remarkable feat further cemented Sudharsan’s rise as one of the most consistent and dominant batters in T20 cricket.

Sudharsan joins Kohli and Gayle in elite company

Sudharsan had already enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2025, but the 2026 edition has elevated him to another level altogether.

With two consecutive seasons of 700-plus runs, he joined an exclusive list featuring only IPL greats Kohli and Gayle. Gayle had achieved the feat in 2012 and 2013, while Kohli managed it in 2016 and again in 2024.

700-plus runs in two different IPL editions

• Chris Gayle in 2012 and 2013
• Virat Kohli in 2016 and 2024
• Sai Sudharsan in 2025 and 2026

The GT opener also equalled David Warner’s tally of nine 50-plus scores in an IPL season. Only Kohli, with 11 such scores during his legendary 2016 campaign, remains ahead of him.

Ironically, Sudharsan’s innings ended in bizarre fashion once again as he was dismissed hit wicket for the second consecutive match.

Attempting to slice a low full toss behind square, Sudharsan lost control of his bat, which crashed into the stumps after the shot raced away for four. The unusual dismissal left both the crowd and his batting partner Shubman Gill stunned.

Most 50-plus scores in an IPL edition

• 11 - Virat Kohli in 2016
• 9 - David Warner in 2016
• 9 - David Warner in 2019
• 9 - Sai Sudharsan in 2026

Gill-Sudharsan partnership rewrites T20 history

Before Sudharsan’s dismissal, he and Gill had already dismantled multiple records with another monumental opening stand.

The duo stitched together their 11th century partnership in T20 cricket — the most by any pair in the format’s history. They surpassed legendary combinations such as Chris Gayle-Virat Kohli, Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan and AB de Villiers-Virat Kohli.

Gill and Sudharsan reached the milestone in just 48 innings, significantly faster than any other pair on the list.

The partnership itself was historic in IPL playoff history as well. Their 167-run stand became the highest partnership ever recorded in IPL playoffs, surpassing the previous record held by Chennai Super Kings pair Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay from the 2011 final.

Highest partnerships in IPL playoffs (any wicket)

• 167 - Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan (GT) vs RR, Mullanpur, 2026 Q2
• 159 - Michael Hussey & Murali Vijay (CSK) vs RCB, Chennai, 2011 Final
• 140* - Michael Hussey *& Suresh Raina (CSK) vs MI, Delhi, 2013 Q2
• 138 - Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan (GT) vs MI, Ahmedabad, 2023 Q2
• 136 - Manvinder Bisla & Jacques Kallis (KKR) vs CSK, Chennai, 2012 Final

The GT openers now also share eight century stands for the opening wicket in T20 cricket, equalling the record held by Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

While Gujarat Titans continue their push for another IPL final appearance, Sudharsan and Gill have emerged as the heartbeat of the side this season.

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