Hitting sixes are synonymous with T20 cricket as the format demands players who can hit the ball a long way. This was one of the major reasons the Indian Premier League (IPL) has had many six hitters.
This article will discuss the top batsmen who have hit the most number of sixes in a single IPL season.
Currently the record belongs to Chris Gayle, who has actually featured thrice in this top 5 entrants. Gayle’s 59 sixes in the 2012 season is the highest by any batter in any edition of the tournament.
Most Sixes in a Single IPL Season
| Player | Innings | Sixes | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle (RCB) | 14 | 59 | 2012 |
| Andre Russell (KKR) | 13 | 52 | 2019 |
| Chris Gayle (RCB) | 16 | 51 | 2013 |
| Jos Buttler (RR) | 17 | 45 | 2022 |
| Chris Gayle (RCB) | 12 | 44 | 2011 |
| Abhishek Sharma (SRH) | 16 | 42 | 2024 |
| Chris Gayle (RCB) | 14 | 38 | 2015 |
| Virat Kohli (RCB) | 16 | 38 | 2016 |
| Heinrich Klaasen (SRH) | 15 | 38 | 2024 |
| Virat Kohli (RCB) | 15 | 38 | 2024 |
Key Stats
In 2011, one of Chris Gayle’s Orange cap winning seasons, the West Indian legend also topped the chart of six hitters with 44 big hits. Playing for RCB for the first time in his IPL career, Gayle made sure he owned every batting record that year. Along with the 44 sixes he hit in 2011, he also hit 56 fours and scored 2 centuries, becoming the first batter to score two centuries in a single IPL season.
The Gaylestorm followed that with a mighty milestone of 59 sixes in the following year (2012), which is the record till date. Gayle also has struck 51 sixes in 2013 and 38 sixes in 2015, which also finds place in the top ten list.
The IPL’s best knock of Chris Gayle’s 175* also came in that year – the performance which saw the highest number of sixes hit by a batter in an IPL innings. 2013 was the second time the master of T20s crossed the 50-sixes mark in an IPL season.
If there is one player who can reach Gayle’s heights in hitting maximums, it is Andre Russell, also referred to as “Russell Muscle”. The fellow West Indian has made a reputation for hitting sixes in the IPL. His ability to hit the ball a long way has been appreciated by all the cricket pundits. Russell almost made the 12th edition of the league, which is the year 2019, his own. He single-handedly won a lot of matches for KKR that season. He hit a whopping 52 sixes that season.
With 45 sixes and the Orange Cap, the English wicketkeeping-batsman has had more reasons to enjoy the 2022 season – his team Rajasthan Royals, made it to the finals that year. Buttler also scored 83 boundaries, which is the season’s best and hit four centuries that season, equalling Virat’s record for most centuries in a single IPL season. KL Rahul, who also had a great season, followed Buttler on the list with 30 sixes.
The Bottom-line: It is highly unlikely that any player in the future could hit the most number of sixes in an IPL season so many times. Gayle has set some high standards, to say the least.
Check: Batsmen with Most 50+ Scores in T20 International Cricket
