Batters With Most Dot Balls In IPL: In analysing performances in the IPL, most people look at runs, strike rates, and centuries, for example, but one statistic gives a clearer picture of how a batsman has performed, and that statistic is the dot ball.
The more dot balls faced by a batsman, the more pressure there is on the other batsmen in his team and the harder it is to achieve a successful outcome.
Dhoni has been trolled over the last few years on social media for his slower scoring rate, even though he is one of the greatest players of this generation and happens to be near the end of his cricketing career.
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Batters with Most Dot Balls in IPL History
Throughout his IPL career, Dhoni has faced a total of 3,957 deliveries, out of which 1,338 were dot balls. He currently ranks 9th on the list of players with the most dot balls. In fact, batsmen such as Raina (1,345 dot balls), Chris Gayle (1,465), and Robin Uthappa (1,472) have all played more dot balls than Dhoni.
Nevertheless, it is also true that for batsmen who have played for a long duration and faced a large number of deliveries, it is only natural to accumulate a higher count of dot balls. This is precisely why this list features several prominent and legendary batsmen. In this context, we present to you the list of the top 5 batsmen with the most dot balls in the history of the IPL.
Top 5 Batters With Most Dot Balls In IPL History
5. Ajinkya Rahane – 1,491 Dot Balls
Ajinkya Rahane is currently the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL (2026 season) and has served as a top-order batsman for a considerable period. Throughout his IPL career, he has faced a total of 4,127 deliveries, 1,491 of which were dot balls.
Rahane has scored 5,184 runs in 188 innings in the IPL so far. His batting style has always been classical, characterized by taking his time to settle in at the start a primary reason why such a high number of dot balls are recorded against his name.
4. David Warner – 1,723 Dot Balls
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One of the most successful openers in IPL history, David Warner has faced 4,697 deliveries over the course of his IPL career, 1,723 of which were dot balls. While he was renowned for providing aggressive starts during the Powerplay, he would also frequently take time to anchor the innings and build a foundation.
Warner has 6,565 runs to his name across 184 IPL innings. Although he has not been part of the IPL since 2024, he played numerous match-winning innings throughout his career.
3. Shikhar Dhawan – 1,977 Dot Balls
Shikhar Dhawan has faced 5,324 deliveries in his IPL career, with 1,977 of them being dot balls. For a significant period, he fulfilled the role of stabilizing the innings for his team and holding one end—a responsibility that accounts for the high number of dot balls recorded against his name.
Dhawan has scored 6,769 runs in 221 innings and served as an anchor for his team for a long time. Although he has now retired from all formats of cricket, his IPL career remains truly magnificent.
2. Rohit Sharma – 2,044 Dot Balls
Rohit Sharma has faced 5,417 deliveries in his IPL career to date, 2,044 of which were dot balls. Throughout his career, he has batted in various roles, a versatility that often required him to take time to settle in and set up the innings.
Rohit has scored 7,183 runs in 270 innings and stands as one of the most successful captains in the history of the IPL. Having played both in the middle order and as an opener, he has faced a significant number of deliveries.
1. Virat Kohli – 2,194 Dot Balls
Virat Kohli holds the record for facing the most dot balls in the history of the IPL. Throughout his IPL career, spanning from 2008 to the present, he has faced a total of 6,663 deliveries, 2,194 of which were dot balls.
Notably, Kohli is also the highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL. To date, he has amassed 8,889 runs across 264 innings at a strike rate of 133.40. However, by virtue of facing such a large volume of deliveries, he has also accumulated a substantial number of dot balls.
(Note: All statistics cited herein are updated as of April 17, 2026.)
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