Sai Sudharsan | IPL 2026 (Source: AFP)
Coming into the RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 match, all the talk surrounded the likes of 'King' Virat Kohli and the Prince of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill. However, Sai Sudharsan made sure to steal the spotlight early in the game.
On Friday, Sai Sudharsan etched his name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history books. During the high-octane clash in the ongoing IPL 2026, the Gujarat Titans’ opener, Sudharsan, became the fastest batter to reach 2000 IPL runs, achieving the milestone in just 47 innings.
It is worth noting that, in the pursuit, the young batter surpassed the likes of Chris Gayle, who previously held the record by reaching the mark in 48 innings.
Interestingly, Sai Sudharsan’s IPL record came in what has been a modest season for him so far. Before this, he had scored only 135 runs in his first six innings, including just one fifty against Rajasthan Royals, and had trouble converting good starts in other games.
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That being said, in this article, let’s explore the list of batters with the fastest 2000 runs in the IPL, innings-wise.
List: Fastest Batters To Reach 2000 IPL Runs (By Innings)
5. KL Rahul - 60 Innings
The star Indian batter, KL Rahul, is the fifth-quickest to reach 2000 runs in the IPL. He achieved this milestone in 60 innings.
A highly consistent, record-breaking IPL batter and wicketkeeper, KL Rahul has played for multiple franchises, namely Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2013, 2016), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2014–15), Punjab Kings (2018–21), Lucknow Super Giants (2022–24), and Delhi Capitals (2025–present).
4. Ruturaj Gaikwad - 57 Innings
Making his IPL debut in 2020, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a cornerstone batter for Chennai Super Kings. He has won the Orange Cap in 2021 (635 runs) and has two titles (2021, 2023). Known for his elegant stroke play, Ruturaj Gaikwad took 57 innings to complete his 2000 IPL runs.
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3. Shaun Marsh - 52 Innings
Australian great Shaun Marsh is third on this list. He achieved this milestone in 52 innings. Marsh achieved this feat during an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in 2015. On top of that, Marsh had a standout IPL career, primarily with Kings XI Punjab (2008–2017), scoring 2,477 runs in 71 matches at an average of 39.95.
2. Chris Gayle - 48 Innings
West Indies legend Chris Gayle is second on the list. Gayle held the record for the longest time, reaching the mark in 48 innings, before Sudharsan surpassed him in IPL 2026.
The "Universe Boss" had a legendary IPL career (2009–2021), playing 142 matches and scoring 4,965 runs at an average of 39.72. Apart from the 2000-run feat, he holds the record for most IPL sixes (357) and the highest individual score of 175*.
1. Sai Sudharsan - 47 Innings
The Gujarat Titans opener, Sai Sudharsan, returned to his usual exceptional form in the IPL 2026, with a magnificent century against the defending champions, RCB, on Friday. During the knock, Sudharsan made history by leaving an IPL great, Chris Gayle, behind to become the fastest batter to complete 2000 runs in the IPL history.
In the clash, he also became the second player, after Shubman Gill, to hit a century for the franchise. The left-hander also became one of the fastest players to reach the 2000-run mark in terms of balls faced, totalling 1361.
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