Virat Kohli has faced Chennai Super Kings 36 times in the IPL and scored 1,174 runs at an average of 37.87 — the most any batter has ever made against a single franchise in the tournament’s history. That record, sealed with a 28-ball knock at M. Chinnaswamy on 5 April 2026, tells you exactly who holds the edge in this rivalry every time RCB and CSK share a ground.
📊 The Matchup, Decoded
Kohli’s average of 37.87 against CSK sits nearly in line with his overall IPL career average of 40.00 — but the context changes everything. His career strike rate sits at 132.86, whereas against CSK he operates at 128.30. The small dip isn’t weakness; it’s strategy. Against Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin in particular, Kohli has taken his foot off the gas and worked the ball into gaps rather than going aerial. The result: 161 runs off 148 balls vs Jadeja across their IPL battles, with only 3 dismissals. That’s a survival mode that still produces runs at better than a run a ball.
The bigger picture: no batter in IPL history — not Rohit Sharma, not Suresh Raina, not David Warner — has accumulated 1,000-plus runs against a single opponent. Kohli hit that mark against CSK years ago and has kept going. His 5 April 2026 knock of 28 off 18 (2 fours, 1 six) at Chinnaswamy pushed his tally to 1,174 and put this record firmly out of reach.
Year-by-Year Record vs CSK
| Season | M | Runs | HS | SR | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (UAE) | 2 | 107 | 90* | 141.0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 | 56 | 35 | 112.0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 73 | 58 | 120.0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 | 89 | 51 | 132.0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 | 88 | 47 | 148.0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 93 | 54 | 138.0 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 | 28 | 28 | 155.6 | 0 |
| Career Total | 36 | 1,174 | 90* | 128.30 | 10 |
By Venue
| Venue | M | Runs | Avg | SR | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru | 10 | 389 | 38.90 | 149.04 | 4 |
| MA Chidambaram, Chennai | 9 | 304 | 33.78 | 115.00 | 2 |
| Neutral Venues | 17 | 481 | 40.08 | 125.00 | 4 |
Inside the Battle: Key Bowler Matchups
Virat Kohli vs Ravindra Jadeja
Balls faced: 148 · Runs: 161 · Dismissals: 3 · SR: 108.8
Virat Kohli vs R. Ashwin
Balls faced: 149 · Runs: 181 · Dismissals: 1 · SR: 121.5
Virat Kohli vs Deepak Chahar
Balls faced: 38 · Runs: 44 · Dismissals: 2 · SR: 115.8
Virat Kohli vs Matheesha Pathirana
Balls faced: 14 · Runs: 12 · Dismissals: 1 · SR: 85.7
🏆 The Innings That Defined This Rivalry
Kohli’s unbeaten 90 against CSK in the 2020 IPL (played in Dubai) remains his single best knock in this fixture — a calculated powerplay merchant display where he kept the scoreboard moving while wickets fell around him. That innings was the bedrock of a crucial RCB win during a season when CSK were struggling badly post-COVID, and it showcased exactly the gear Kohli shifts into when the stakes demand it: unhurried, precise, then lethal in the final five overs.
Home vs Away: Where Kohli Hurts CSK More
At Chinnaswamy (Home)
- Matches: 10
- Runs: 389
- Average: 38.90
- Strike Rate: 149.04
- Best: 90* (Dubai, but form replicates here)
- CSK spinners go wicketless more often
At Chepauk (Away)
- Matches: 9
- Runs: 304
- Average: 33.78
- Strike Rate: ~115.00
- Best: 2 half-centuries
- Jadeja’s turn and bounce forces caution
The numbers confirm what anyone who has watched this rivalry closely already feels: Chinnaswamy turns Kohli into a nightmare for CSK’s bowling unit. With the square boundaries sitting at 68 metres and dew arriving by the 12th over, his strike rate of 149.04 at this ground against Chennai is well above his career norm. Chepauk is the one venue where CSK’s bowlers can stay in the contest — the slower surface, Jadeja’s rough, and the dry outfield all work in the hosts’ favour. But even there, Kohli walks away with 304 runs from 9 appearances. That’s not a weakness; it’s a relative limitation in an otherwise extraordinary rivalry record.
When fans search for Virat Kohli record against CSK, the numbers tell a remarkable story. Across 36 IPL matches against Chennai Super Kings, Kohli has consistently delivered runs at both Bengaluru and Chennai, making this one of the most iconic batter-vs-team rivalries in IPL history.
How This Record Stands Among All-Time IPL Head-to-Heads
🔢 Record Context
Before Kohli, the record for most IPL runs by a batter against a single franchise was held by Rohit Sharma, who had amassed 1,161 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders. Kohli’s 5 April 2026 knock took him to 1,174 against CSK — crossing that mark and claiming the record outright. His position atop the all-time IPL run-scorers list now comes with this additional distinction: no one in the format’s 19-year history has been as consistently lethal against one specific opponent.
People keep framing this as “Kohli loves playing CSK.” It isn’t that simple. He has 10 half-centuries against them and zero hundreds — a stat that suggests CSK’s attack, specifically Jadeja’s three dismissals, have genuinely tested him. What the record actually reflects is longevity: 36 matches across 18 seasons, showing up every time, rarely failing catastrophically. The 2020 UAE stint (90* in Dubai), the 2025 title-run contributions — these weren’t gifts from a generous attack. They were earned.
I’d argue the more interesting number isn’t 1,174. It’s 128.30. For a batter with a career T20 strike rate of 132.86, hitting almost identically against the team that has beaten his franchise 22 times in 36 meetings tells you about competitive calibre, not rivalry advantage. CSK have won this H2H comfortably. Kohli has just refused to be the reason RCB lose. There’s a difference, and the distinction matters every time these two sides meet.
Virat Kohli vs CSK — FAQs
How many runs has Virat Kohli scored against CSK in the IPL?
As of 9 May 2026, Virat Kohli has scored 1,174 runs against Chennai Super Kings in 36 IPL matches (35 innings) at an average of 37.87 and a strike rate of 128.30. This is the highest total by any batter against a single franchise in IPL history.
What is Virat Kohli’s highest score against CSK?
Kohli’s highest score against Chennai Super Kings is 90 not out, scored during the 2020 IPL season played in the UAE bubble. He has hit 10 half-centuries against CSK but is yet to register a century against them across 36 matches.
Which CSK bowler has dismissed Kohli the most?
Ravindra Jadeja has dismissed Kohli 3 times in IPL history — the most by any CSK bowler. Kohli has scored 161 runs off 148 balls against Jadeja but has been watchful against the left-arm spinner’s drift and turn, producing a below-par (for him) strike rate of 108.8. R. Ashwin has taken just 1 Kohli wicket in 149 balls across their IPL clashes.
Has Virat Kohli ever played for Chennai Super Kings?
No. Kohli has represented the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in every single season since the IPL’s inception in 2008 — 19 consecutive seasons with one franchise. He has never been affiliated with Chennai Super Kings in any IPL auction or player transfer.
What is the overall RCB vs CSK head-to-head record?
In 36 IPL meetings between the two sides, CSK hold a comfortable advantage: 22 wins to RCB’s 13, with 1 no-result. Despite Kohli’s personal run-fest, the team result has firmly favoured the five-time champions from Chennai.
📌 Quick Facts
- Kohli’s 1,174 runs vs CSK is an IPL all-time record — most by any batter vs one franchise.
- He reached the milestone with a 28-ball knock at Chinnaswamy on 5 April 2026, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s 1,161 against KKR.
- His Chinnaswamy strike rate against CSK (149.04) is dramatically higher than his Chepauk rate (~115.00).
- 10 half-centuries, 0 centuries: CSK always find a way to eventually dismiss him, even when they can’t stop the runs.
- Jadeja (3 dismissals) is the only CSK bowler to consistently threaten Kohli across multiple seasons.
- See the full RCB 2026 squad and season stats for team context.
Bottom Line
Virat Kohli’s 1,174 runs against CSK isn’t just a record — it’s 19 seasons of showing up and delivering against one of the most decorated bowling attacks in the league’s history. The rivalry lopsided in CSK’s favour at team level (22–13), but Kohli has made sure RCB have always had a weapon worth fearing. His next appearance against Chennai Super Kings will carry the same weight it always does: one of cricket’s finest players against the franchise he has tormented more than any other, even if the trophies haven’t always followed.
