- May 30, 2025
The pressure rises and the stakes get higher as the IPL playoffs approach, and it is down to the mentally strongest! This is going far beyond the glamour and glitz of cricket; it is about fire, fight, and finishing the job! These IPL players are warriors, and that is dramatic! When we’re talking about heavyweight names in Indian cricket, we have to talk about the two unarguable heavyweights in Kohli and Sharma. They are, in fact, also two of the most recognizable batters from this generation of cricket, who also defined franchises, and yet, which of the two comes out on top of the other when it comes to the playoffs? Which of the two has delivered in the do-or-die IPL playoffs? Let’s find out.
Clutch Performers or Casualties? The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s start with raw stats first. Kohli has played 15 playoff innings across 9 IPL seasons from 2009-2024, and has made 341 runs at an average of 26.23 and a strike rate of 121.78. He has made two fifties, with the highest being 70*—this was in 2011 against CSK.
Let’s talk about Rohit Sharma. He has played 21 playoff innings in 11 seasons, so he’s had his chances to perform in those big moments. But his batting displays when those opportunities have come don’t make for great reading or reflect significant contributions, in total he’s scored 316 runs at a very questionable average of 15.80 and strike rate of 108.96 – not exactly the only big-match player you want to remember him to be.
Finals Fever: Who Shows Up on the Biggest Night?
The playoffs are one thing, but the IPL final is a whole separate beast. When it matters most, Kohli has played in three finals and scored a combined 96 runs at an average of 32, striking at 128. His highlight being a memorable, gritty 54 in the 2016 final – a game where RCB lost despite chasing 150 runs down.
Rohit’s become a household name on finals night. He has played in six finals and scored more than Kohli – 183 runs, at 30.50 strike rate, including 2 fifties and a high of 68. More than that, both of his innings that counted (50 in 2015 and 68 in 2020) were in team victories, meaning that he has produced runs where it counts.
2025: Form Meets History—Will the Past Repeat?
As we now enter the 2025 playoffs, things have only gotten more interesting. Kohli is in absurd form—602 runs in 13 innings, with eight fifties, at a strike rate of 147.91 and a desire that craves for unfinished business. Rohit has meandered through this season, scoring 329 runs at 27.41. Not horrible, but it will not change a game either.
Neither player has been a great performer in playoff cricket before, but Kohli’s current form may be enough to sway the odds as heavily in RCB’s favor. Rohit, meanwhile, could just be hoping that his bigger-game reputation is enough to hoist MI through one more time.
The Kohli versus Rohit debate is certainly an age-old discussion, especially when it comes to the playoffs. Kohli provides consistency and current form, while Rohit provides finals pedigree and clutch temperament. Although the numbers favour Kohli on overall playoff performance, we cannot forget the definition of heroics Rohit has provided in finals, which are now etched in IPL folklore.
Let us know – who will dominate the IPL 2025 playoffs: Kohli or Rohit? Tell us in the comments!
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