Virat Kohli once again showed why he is considered the backbone of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and a true IPL legend. However, in the second match on Super Sunday, Rohit Sharma surpassed Kohli’s tally with his own award against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
During RCB’s dominant seven-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Kohli played a match-winning role with an unbeaten 73, further cementing his legacy with yet another milestone in IPL history. Rohit, meanwhile, hit his first IPL 2025 fifty, taking MI to a third consecutive win.
Rohit Sharma surpasses Virat Kohli
Kohli’s innings helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru secure an important victory, earning Kohli the Player of the Match (POTM) award. This marked his 19th POTM in IPL history, pushing him ahead of MS Dhoni, who has 18. However, Rohit who was tied with Kohli prior to the MI vs CSK match, has gone up.
Kohli and Rohit now share the names in the highest tally of POTM honors in the IPL. Chris Gayle sits second with 22, while the top spot belongs to AB de Villiers—another RCB great—with 25 awards.
Most Player of the Match awards in IPL history
| Rank | Player | Player of the Match Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AB de Villiers | 25 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | 22 |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma* | 20 |
| 4 | Virat Kohli* | 19 |
| 5 | MS Dhoni | 18 |
| 5 | David Warner | 18 |
Virat Kohli has accumulated 322 runs in eight innings in IPL 2025, with an impressive average of 64.40 and a strike rate of 140. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are currently in third place on the points table and will be looking to maintain the momentum they’ve built so far.
The post Most ‘Player of the match’ awards in IPL history appeared first on Inside Sport India.