Not all IPL hundreds are about brute force and broken roofs. Some are slow-cooked, chessboard-style masterstrokes—where the bat swings, but the brain leads. These aren’t just knocks; they’re blueprints. Field studied. Bowlers decoded. Timing, clinical. This isn’t about who hit the biggest sixes. It’s about who out-thought the game. This isn’t swagger stealing the show—it’s strategy stealing the game.
5. AB de Villiers – 129 vs Gujarat Lions (2016 League Stage)
AB de Villiers’ unbeaten 129* off 52 deliveries against Gujarat Lions in 2016 stands as one of the most statistically dominant innings in IPL history. He scored over 80% of his runs through boundaries. Particularly ruthless during the death overs (14–18), he struck at over 300, tactically exploiting field placements and bowler matchups. It wasn’t just power hitting—it was a masterclass in reading the game, anticipating moves, and executing with near-perfect precision.
| Record | Statistic |
| Runs Scored | 129* |
| Balls Faced | 52 |
| Fours | 10 |
| Sixes | 12 |
| Strike Rate | 248.07 |
| Partnership with Virat Kohli | 229 runs (for the 2nd wicket) |
4. Sanju Samson – 102 vs SRH (2019 League Stage)
Sanju Samson’s 102* off 55 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019 wasn’t just a display of timing and class—it was a textbook example of tactical batting. He carefully navigated the SRH bowling attack, particularly avoiding Rashid Khan, whom he faced for just 13 deliveries, scoring 9 runs without taking unnecessary risks. Instead, he targeted the weaker matchups, maintaining a boundary frequency of nearly every 5 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes. It was measured aggression—built on game awareness, smart shot selection, and an innate ability to control the tempo. Behind the elegance was a highly calculated chase that proved brains and beauty can coexist at the crease.
| Record | Statistic |
| Runs Scored | 102* |
| Balls Faced | 55 |
| Fours | 10 |
| Sixes | 4 |
| Strike Rate | 185.45 |
3. Hashim Amla – 104 vs Gujarat Lions (2017 League Stage)
Hashim Amla’s 104* off 60 balls against Gujarat Lions in 2017 was a lesson in elegance meeting efficiency. With a strike rate of 173.33, Amla crafted a knock that was both poetic and punishing. Despite the fireworks, his approach was rooted in classical technique—using the pace, finding the gaps, and accelerating at the right moments. What made the knock more remarkable was that it came in a high-scoring game, yet felt effortlessly calm amidst the chaos. It wasn’t just a century—it was a quiet storm.
| Record | Statistic |
| Runs Scored | 104* |
| Balls Faced | 60 |
| Fours | 8 |
| Sixes | 5 |
| Strike Rate | 173.33 |
2. KL Rahul – 132 vs RCB (2020 League Stage)
In IPL 2020, KL Rahul delivered a record-breaking performance with an unbeaten 132* off 69 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore—the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history. Leading from the front, he combined classical elegance with aggressive stroke-play. Capitalizing on two dropped chances, Rahul anchored the innings with remarkable composure, accelerating seamlessly to dominate the latter overs. His effort propelled Kings XI Punjab to a massive total and a comprehensive 97-run victory, setting the tone for his Orange Cap-winning season.
| Record | Statistic |
| Runs Scored | 132* |
| Balls Faced | 69 |
| Fours | 14 |
| Sixes | 7 |
| Strike Rate | 191.30 |
1. Virat Kohli – 113 vs KXIP (2016 League Stage)
In a rain-curtailed clash during IPL 2016, Virat Kohli unleashed one of the most iconic knocks in T20 history—113* off just 50 balls—against Kings XI Punjab. Playing with eight stitches on his hand, Kohli turned pain into performance, crafting a century. His innings wasn’t just explosive—it was clinical. He reached his century in 47 balls, the fastest of his four tons that season, and powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to a massive 211 in just 15 overs. This effort solidified Kohli’s record-breaking run in 2016, a season where he amassed 973 runs—still the highest by any batter in a single IPL edition.
| Record | Statistic |
| Runs Scored | 113 |
| Balls Faced | 50 |
| Fours | 12 |
| Sixes | 8 |
| Strike Rate | 226.00 |