The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen some magnificent batting partnerships since its launch in 2008. Not just have these partnerships created records, but they have also determined the fate of decisive games. The biggest partnership in the history of IPL is a whopping 229 runs between Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Lions in 2016. The record is a testament to the fireworks of T20 cricket and the great batting on offer by the IPL year in and year out. Cricket partnerships, particularly in intense T20 cricket, need world-class knowledge between batsmen, differing abilities, and the capacity to surge at the right time. The IPL has served as a nursery for such pairings with local and foreign players coming together to create unbreakable pairs. Let's take a look at the top 10 IPL partnerships ever, why these marriages were special, and the impact they had on their own cricket. What Is the Highest Partnership Ever in IPL? Rank Partners Runs Wicket Team Opposition Ground Match Date 1 V Kohli, AB de Villiers 229 2nd RCB v Guj Lions Bengaluru 14 May 2016 2 V Kohli, AB de Villiers 215* 2nd RCB v MI Wankhede 10 May 2015 3 KL Rahul, Q de Kock 210* 1st LSG v KKR DY Patil 18 May 2022 4 Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan 210 1st GT v CSK Ahmedabad 10 May 2024 5 SE Marsh, AC Gilchrist 206 2nd Kings XI v RCB Dharamsala 17 May 2011 6 V Kohli, CH Gayle 204* 2nd RCB v Daredevils Delhi 17 May 2012 7 DA Warner, NV Ojha 189* 2nd Daredevils v Chargers Hyderabad 10 May 2012 8 DA Warner, JM Bairstow 185 1st SRH v RCB Hyderabad 31 Mar 2019 9 CA Lynn, G Gambhir 184* 1st KKR v Guj Lions Rajkot 7 Apr 2017 10 KL Rahul, MA Agarwal 183 1st Kings XI v RR Sharjah 27 Sep 2020 Top 10 Highest IPL Partnerships Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (229 runs) Image Source : BCCI Highest 229-run partnership by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers was in a game in which RCB scored a huge 248/3. Kohli made 109 off 55 balls, while de Villiers made 129 off a mere 52 balls. What contributed to this association was the absolute dominance exhibited by both batsmen, who blended well with one another as Kohli brought technical excellence and de Villiers brought creative stroke-play. They batted together at 19/1 and remained until the last over, destroying the Gujarat Lions bowling division with 20 fours and 15 sixes combined. This association is the benchmark in IPL history. Also Read | Top 5 IPL Controversies Involving MS Dhoni Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (215* runs) Image Source : BCCI The Kohli-de Villiers duo features again, this time with an unbeaten 215-run stand against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede. Chasing 210, RCB lost Chris Gayle early, bringing these two together. What followed was a masterclass in chase management, with Kohli scoring 82* off 50 balls and de Villiers blasting 133* off 59 deliveries. They methodically took apart MI’s bowling, showcasing their ability to handle pressure while accelerating at key moments. The collaboration was a testimony to their exclusive awareness, with flawless rotation of strike and spotting bowlers to aim at, leading to a comprehensive 10-wicket win. KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock (210* runs) Image Source : ESPN The spellbinding opening partnership saw Lucknow Super Giants reach 210/0 against Kolkata Knight Riders by Rahul's 68* off 51 deliveries, anchoring the innings, and de Kock's merciless 140* off 70 deliveries. Their differing approaches complemented one another perfectly—Rahul's conservative nature enabled de Kock to express himself freely. The 10 fours and 10 sixes by the South African wicket-keeper batter was his whole repertoire of shots. This was special in having lasted the whole 20 overs without losing a wicket, a rare accomplishment in T20 cricket. Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan (210 runs) Image Source : ESPN The newest on this list, this Gill and Sudharsan partnership arrived in GT's game against CSK. Gill made 104 off 58 balls and Sudharsan made 103 off 51 balls. So unique about this partnership was that it was of two young Indian batsmen both scoring centuries in the same innings—the first time this was happening in IPL history. Their partnership was defined by vintage shot-play married to contemporary-day T20 ingenuity. They created barriers repeatedly during their tenure at the crease, developing a combination that served as the building block for an effortless GT triumph. Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist (206 runs) Image Source : AFP The second-wicket stand of the Australian pair in a must-win situation for Kings XI Punjab saw Marsh get 79 from 49 deliveries, and Gilchrist get 106 from mere 55 deliveries.Without the opening by Paul Valthaty, these two were aggressive in charge. Gilchrist, particularly, traveled back in time with his own style pulls and cuts. Their partnership was marked by top-class running between wickets and calculated risk-taking.They selected some bowlers and built momentum in their innings to drive Kings XI past 206 without any trouble. Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle (204* runs) Image Source : BCCI Kohli makes an appearance once again, this time with the "Universe Boss" Chris Gayle to share an unbeaten 204-run stand against Delhi Daredevils. Kohli scored 73* off 53 balls, playing the perfect foil to Gayle’s destructive 128* off 62 deliveries. After losing Dilshan early, this partnership showcased Gayle’s raw power and Kohli’s surgical precision. The Jamaican hit 13 sixes in his knock, while Kohli kept the scoreboard ticking with intelligent placement. Their association well reflected how two opposing batsmen can complement each other, with the solidity of Kohli unshackled to allow Gayle to play at his best. David Warner and Naman Ojha (189* runs) Image Source : AFP Warner and Ojha's association came against Delhi Daredevils and Deccan Chargers. Warner made a 109* off 54 balls, while Ojha added 64* off 46 balls. With Venugopal Rao lost early, the pair played measured aggression. Warner was especially cruel to anything short, while Ojha performed the supportive role to perfection. Their combination was marked by exemplary running between wickets and astute choice of bowling to attack. Warner's century was his IPL century, and it was a demonstration of his versatility and reign over the T20 game. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow (185 runs) Image Source : AFP Warner and Bairstow's opening combination for SRH against RCB was marked by both the batsmen scoring centuries. Warner scored 100 off 55 balls, while Bairstow made 114 off 56 balls. Their partnership was glorious for its aggressive style throughout. Both batsmen played almost shot for shot, both of them exerting tremendous pressure on the bowling unit of RCB. They evened out the game very well, Warner's off-side play being nicely cushioned by Bairstow's leg side strength. Their alliance facilitated SRH's victory in total and is one of the rarest situations where both opening batsmen share a century within the same game of IPL. Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn (184* runs) Image Source : BCCI 93*-off-41-balls opening partnership which was unsolved between Gambhir and Lynn belonged to KKR vs Gujarat Lions. Lynn made 93* off 41 balls, whereas Gambhir amassed 76* off 48 balls. Lynn's free-flowing hitting included 8 sixes among them, most of them his signature flat pull shots. Gambhir's defensive aggression and measured placement proved to be perfect foil for him. Both demonstrated a marvelous combination of strength and finesse with Lynn's acceleration burst duly supplemented by Gambhir's nous and game awareness. They came down 184 on one wicket, demonstrating the strength of timely opening stands in T20 cricket. Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul (183 runs) Image Source : BCCI Their Punjab's opening stand against Rajasthan Royals featured Rahul, who hit 69 from 54 balls, and Agarwal, who smashed 106 from 50 balls. It was an understanding and terrific stand between the wickets. Agarwal was especially aggressive, scoring his first IPL century with 10 fours and 7 sixes. Rahul was steady, rotating the strike well while also going on to turn middles into boundaries when required. Their partnership laid the foundation for Punjab's challenging total, highlighting the need for good opening stands in getting to big totals. Also Read | Top 10 Best Buys in IPL 2025 Mega Auction Conclusion IPL's record associations offer intriguing trends in how to bat well in T20 cricket. Three things emerge from examining these record partnerships: complementary skill sets, role definition, and situational awareness.The most successful partnerships, such as Kohli-de Villiers and Warner-Bairstow, involved batsmen with strengths that were opposite one another complementing each other perfectly. Clarity of definition of roles—either the aggressor or the anchor—was seen in partnerships like Rahul-de Kock and Lynn-Gambhir. Incidentally, RCB appears four times in the top ten combinations, which is a pointer to their batting prowess historically though they have never won the cup. Second-wicket partnerships predominating the top five (5 out of 10) obviously suggests recovery from the initial departure of a wicket. Lastly, the presence of many foreign pairs (Kohli-de Villiers, Warner-Bairstow, Lynn-Gambhir) is a pointer to the success of the IPL in establishing chemistry among foreign cricketers. As T20 cricket goes on, such these partnerships are templates for effective batting strategies. They remind everyone that cricket, even in its shortest version, is still a game in which sets win matches and make memories that would last for years for cricket fans across the globe.