Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Virat Kohli and ex-Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Jos Buttler are close to breaking premier Pakistan batter Babar Azam’s most centuries in T20s record.
The former Pakistan captain, who has featured for Central Punjab Pakistan, Colombo Strikers, Peshawar Zalmi, and Somerset, have registered 11 centuries in the T20s.
Kohli, who has played franchise cricket only for RCB, has nine centuries to his name while Buttler has eight.
In the last IPL, Kohli scored a single century while Buttler had two to his name. The former India captain needs three more to surpass Azam’s feat while Buttler needs four to overcome the ex-Pakistan captain.
The Indian run machine has a record of scoring 973 runs in 2016. He will continue to be a vital cog as a batter and in the leadership group in the Rajat Patidar-led side. Incidentally, Kohli is also among the top run scorers in the shortest format of the game.
However, Kohli’s strike rate in the shortest format, has continuously been under the scanner. He had a 741-run scoring season in IPL 2024 but his overall strike rate in the lucrative tournament is 131.
Buttler, meanwhile, will be a key overseas batter in the Gujarat Titans. He had accumulated 359 runs in 11 matches, with the highest score of an unbeaten 107. The Englishman had an average close to 40 and with a strike rate above 140.
The most centuries in the T20 formats belongs to Chris Gayle. The former West Indies swashbuckling batter accumulated 22 centuries while featuring for his national team and other T20 franchises.