Highest Average in IPL While Chasing – Best Chase Batters

Batting while chasing brings a different kind of pressure in the IPL. The target is already known, the required run rate keeps changing, and a single quiet over can quickly make the equation difficult.

David Miller has the highest batting average while chasing in IPL history among players with at least 10 chase innings. He averages 49.08 while batting second, ahead of KL Rahul at 47.92 and Phil Salt at 46.92.

Virat Kohli has scored more runs in IPL chases than any other batter, but his chasing average of 41.51 places him lower on the average-based list.

Highest Batting Average While Chasing in IPL

The table below uses a minimum qualification of 10 innings while chasing.

David Miller and KL Rahul stand out because they have maintained their averages across more than 60 chase innings.

1. David Miller – Average 49.08

David Miller owns the highest IPL average while chasing among batters with at least 10 second-innings appearances.

The South African left-hander has scored 1,816 runs from 67 chase innings at an average of 49.08.

His strike rate of 142.54 adds further value because Miller has often batted in the middle and lower-middle order rather than opening the innings.

David Miller IPL Chase Stats

Miller's record has been built around his ability to remain unbeaten in completed chases.

He has often entered after the powerplay and faced situations where both the required run rate and the number of wickets remaining were important.

David Miller's 101* Against RCB

Miller's only IPL century came during one of the most famous chases of his career.

Playing for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013, he smashed 101 not out from only 38 balls.

Punjab had been struggling badly during the chase before Miller changed the match.

He attacked the RCB bowling through the second half of the innings and completed a remarkable victory.

The innings remains one of the finest chase performances of the early IPL years.

Miller's Gujarat Titans Chase Against Rajasthan Royals

Miller also produced one of his biggest playoff performances for Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022.

GT needed 16 runs from the final over against Rajasthan Royals.

Miller struck three consecutive sixes from the first three legal balls and finished the chase immediately.

He remained unbeaten on 68 from 38 balls.

The victory sent Gujarat directly into the IPL final.

David Miller in Successful IPL Chases

Miller's numbers become even stronger when only successful chases are counted.

He has scored more than 1,000 runs in winning run chases while being dismissed very rarely.

His average in successful IPL chases has been close to 100.

That finishing ability is the main reason his overall chase average remains at the top of the IPL list.

2. KL Rahul – Average 47.92

KL Rahul ranks second for the highest average while chasing in IPL history.

He has scored 2,636 runs from 66 chase innings at an average of 47.92.

His run total is significantly higher than Miller's, while his average remains only slightly lower.

KL Rahul IPL Chase Stats

Rahul has scored 25 half-centuries while chasing.

That means more than one-third of his second-innings appearances have produced scores of at least 50.

KL Rahul in Successful Chases

Rahul's record in successful chases is even better.

By April 2026, he had scored 1,358 runs in 30 successful IPL chase innings, averaging 64.66 at a strike rate of 148.6.

He had also recorded 14 fifty-plus scores in those winning chases.

This record places him among the most consistent top-order chase batters in IPL history.

KL Rahul's 93* Against RCB

One of Rahul's finest chase innings came for Delhi Capitals against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025.

Delhi were reduced to 58/4 while chasing 164.

Rahul stayed at the crease and rebuilt the innings with Tristan Stubbs.

He eventually finished unbeaten on 93 from 53 balls as Delhi completed the chase.

It was one of the best examples of Rahul adapting his tempo to the match situation.

3. Phil Salt – Average 46.92

Phil Salt sits third with a chase average of 46.92.

He has scored 657 runs from 16 innings while batting second.

His strike rate of 178.04 is easily the highest among the top players on this list.

Phil Salt IPL Chase Stats

Salt's record is based on a smaller sample than Miller, Rahul or Kohli, but the scoring rate is exceptional.

He usually opens the innings and attacks immediately during the powerplay.

Salt's Aggressive Chase Role

Salt does not normally approach a chase by spending several overs getting settled.

His role is to take advantage of fielding restrictions.

That aggressive style carries more risk than traditional accumulation, which makes an average close to 47 at a strike rate near 180 especially impressive.

4. Lendl Simmons – Average 46.22

Lendl Simmons averaged 46.22 while chasing during his IPL career.

He scored 416 runs from 11 chase innings.

Lendl Simmons Chase Stats

Simmons spent most of his successful IPL period with Mumbai Indians.

His ability to provide stable starts made him particularly valuable during Mumbai's championship years.

Lendl Simmons' IPL Century

Simmons scored an unbeaten century for Mumbai Indians against Punjab in IPL 2014.

The innings remains one of the highlights of his IPL career.

Unlike several other players on this list, Simmons relied more on building an innings than maintaining an extremely high strike rate.

5. Sai Sudharsan – Average 45.40

Sai Sudharsan has quickly developed a strong record while chasing.

He averages 45.40 from 22 chase innings.

The Gujarat Titans left-hander has scored 908 runs while batting second.

Sai Sudharsan Chase Stats

Sudharsan's position in the top five is notable because his IPL career is much shorter than those of players such as Miller, Rahul or Kohli.

Sai Sudharsan as a Chase Batter

Sudharsan generally bats in the top order and is capable of playing both roles required in a chase.

He can remain patient when the target is moderate or increase his scoring rate when Gujarat need more than 10 runs per over.

His ability to bat deep into an innings has helped maintain a strong average.

6. Rinku Singh – Average 45.15

Rinku Singh averages 45.15 in IPL chases.

He has scored 587 runs from 22 second-innings appearances.

His strike rate of 156.53 also makes him one of the faster scorers on the list.

Rinku Singh IPL Chase Stats

Rinku usually bats much lower than most of the players ahead of him.

That means he regularly enters when the chase has already reached its most difficult stage.

Rinku Singh's Five Sixes Against Gujarat Titans

Rinku's most famous IPL chase came against Gujarat Titans in 2023.

Kolkata Knight Riders needed 29 runs from the final over.

After taking a single from the first ball, Rinku faced the final five deliveries.

He hit five consecutive sixes and completed one of the most extraordinary chases in IPL history.

The innings made him one of the most recognizable finishers in the tournament.

7. Matthew Hayden – Average 44.54

Matthew Hayden averaged 44.54 while chasing in the IPL.

The former Australian opener scored 490 runs from 13 chase innings.

Matthew Hayden Chase Stats

Hayden played only the early seasons of the IPL, but he was highly successful for Chennai Super Kings.

He also won the Orange Cap in 2009.

8. Kevin Pietersen – Average 42.66

Kevin Pietersen scored 640 runs in 22 IPL chase innings.

He averaged 42.66 and maintained a strike rate of 134.73.

Kevin Pietersen Chase Stats

Pietersen represented several IPL franchises and was capable of controlling a chase from the top or middle order.

9. Shaun Marsh – Average 42.40

Shaun Marsh was one of the first major overseas batting stars of the IPL.

He scored 1,060 runs from 29 chase innings at an average of 42.40.

Shaun Marsh IPL Chase Stats

Marsh won the first IPL Orange Cap in 2008.

His 11 fifties while chasing also underline his consistency during Punjab's early IPL seasons.

10. Virat Kohli – Average 41.51

Virat Kohli ranks tenth by average under the minimum 10-innings qualification.

However, no batter has scored more runs while chasing.

Kohli has accumulated 4,027 runs from 125 chase innings.

Virat Kohli IPL Chase Stats

The size of Kohli's sample makes his record very different from some players above him.

He has batted in more than 100 IPL chases and still averages above 40.

Virat Kohli – Most Runs While Chasing in IPL

Kohli may not have the highest average, but he is the highest run-scorer in IPL chases.

His 4,027 runs place him well ahead of most other players.

He has also scored 28 fifties and 2 centuries while chasing.

That combination of longevity and volume remains unmatched.

Virat Kohli in Successful IPL Chases

Kohli's record improves significantly when only victories are included.

During IPL 2026, he crossed 2,700 runs in successful chases.

His average in winning chases is above 60.

He has also scored multiple hundreds and around 20 half-centuries in successful chase situations.

Kohli remains one of the most productive chase batters in IPL history even though Miller and Rahul lead him on overall average.

Highest Average vs Most Runs While Chasing

The two records should not be confused.

Highest Average While Chasing

David Miller – 49.08

Most Runs While Chasing

Virat Kohli – 4,027+ runs

Miller has been dismissed less frequently relative to the number of runs he has scored.

Kohli has played almost twice as many chase innings and accumulated far more runs.

Both records measure different types of success.

Best Average in Successful IPL Chases

Successful chases produce much higher averages because batters who finish the chase often remain not out.

David Miller is particularly strong in this category.

By the 2026 season, his successful-chase record stood at approximately:

The difference between overall chase average and successful-chase average is important.

A batter can score heavily in a chase that his team eventually loses, and those runs still count toward his general chasing record.

Shreyas Iyer's Recent Chase Record

Shreyas Iyer produced an exceptional run of successful chases beginning in IPL 2024.

Across 14 successful chase innings from 2024 into 2026, he scored 621 runs at an average of 124.2 and a strike rate of 173.5.

He also recorded seven fifties during that period.

These figures cover a specific multi-season period rather than his complete IPL chase career, so they should not be directly compared with the all-time career-average table.

Best IPL Chase Batters by Role

Different batting positions create different chase responsibilities.

Top-Order Chasers

KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Sai Sudharsan and Shaun Marsh have generally had enough deliveries to control the pace of an innings.

Middle-Order Chasers

David Miller and Rinku Singh often enter after the target equation has already developed.

They have fewer deliveries but may face greater required run rates.

Finishers

Miller and Rinku stand out when a match reaches the final five overs.

Their ability to remain unbeaten also increases their batting averages.

Highest Batting Average in IPL While Chasing: Batters and Records

Batting average is calculated using dismissals rather than innings.

A batter who remains not out while completing a chase does not record a dismissal.

That is particularly important for finishers.

A player who repeatedly scores 30 or 40 not out while completing successful chases can develop a very high batting average.

For that reason, average should be considered alongside runs, strike rate and number of innings.

Highest Chase Average With a Bigger Sample

The minimum 10-innings list includes players with relatively short IPL careers.

When greater longevity is considered, David Miller and KL Rahul become even more impressive.

Both have played more than 60 chase innings and still average close to 50.

Virat Kohli has played more than 120 chase innings and averages above 40.

Their sample sizes make their records particularly valuable when discussing the best chase batters in IPL history.

David Miller vs KL Rahul While Chasing

Miller has the better average and strike rate.

Rahul has scored more than 800 additional runs and twice as many fifties.

David Miller vs Virat Kohli While Chasing

Miller leads by average.

Kohli leads comfortably in total runs, innings, fifties and centuries.

Who Has the Highest Average While Chasing in IPL?

David Miller has the highest batting average while chasing in IPL history among players with at least 10 chase innings.

He has scored 1,816 runs in 67 innings at an average of 49.08.

KL Rahul ranks second at 47.92.

Phil Salt is third at 46.92, followed by Lendl Simmons at 46.22 and Sai Sudharsan at 45.40.

Virat Kohli leads the run-scoring chart in chases with more than 4,000 runs but ranks tenth by average at 41.51 under the same qualification.

Top 5 Highest IPL Averages While Chasing

1. David Miller – 49.08

2. KL Rahul – 47.92

3. Phil Salt – 46.92

4. Lendl Simmons – 46.22

5. Sai Sudharsan – 45.40

The ranking uses a minimum of 10 IPL chase innings.

FAQs

Who has the highest batting average while chasing in IPL?

David Miller leads with an average of 49.08 among players with at least 10 chase innings.

What is KL Rahul's IPL average while chasing?

KL Rahul averages 47.92 while chasing.

What is Virat Kohli's average while chasing in IPL?

Virat Kohli averages 41.51 under the same statistical qualification.

Who has scored the most runs while chasing in IPL?

Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in IPL chases with more than 4,000 runs.

How many runs has David Miller scored in IPL chases?

Miller has scored 1,816 runs in 67 chase innings.

How many runs has KL Rahul scored while chasing?

Rahul has scored 2,636 runs from 66 chase innings.

What is Phil Salt's IPL chase average?

Phil Salt averages 46.92 while chasing.

What is Sai Sudharsan's IPL chasing average?

Sai Sudharsan averages 45.40.

What is Rinku Singh's average while chasing in IPL?

Rinku Singh averages 45.15 in IPL chases.

Who has the highest average in successful IPL chases?

David Miller has one of the strongest records, averaging approximately 98.81 from 36 successful chase innings in the verified 2026 sample.

What is KL Rahul's average in successful IPL chases?

Rahul averaged 64.66 after 30 successful chase innings in the verified 2026 sample.

Is Virat Kohli the best IPL chase batter?

Kohli has scored the most runs in IPL chases, while David Miller holds the highest average among players with at least 10 chase innings. The answer therefore depends on whether total runs or batting average is being compared.

Which player has the best strike rate among the top chase-average batters?

Phil Salt has the highest strike rate among the top 10 listed players at 178.04.

What qualification is used for this ranking?

The ranking considers batters who have played at least 10 innings while chasing in the IPL.