{"id":2014,"date":"2026-04-13T14:42:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/?p=2014"},"modified":"2026-04-13T14:49:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T09:19:46","slug":"players-hit-first-century-in-ipl-every-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/players-hit-first-century-in-ipl-every-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Players Who Hit the First Century in IPL Every Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The IPL is the most exciting T20 league in the world and nothing gets the crowd on their feet more than watching a batter score a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every IPL season since 2008 had at least one batter who scored the first century in IPL and made the whole tournament sit up and take notice. Scoring a fastest century in IPL<\/a> is rare but being the first centurion of the season is an achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of these century makers went on to dominate their entire season while others saved their best knock for just that one special moment. Either way each innings left a lasting mark on IPL history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Brendon McCullum’s iconic 158* in 2008 to Sanju Samson’s 115* In 2026 this list covers every player who made history by scoring the first century of their season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the First Century in IPL?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first century in IPL means the very first hundred runs scored by any batsman in that particular IPL season. Since IPL matches are T20 format, scoring 100 runs in one innings is extremely difficult and only the most aggressive batters can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every year fans eagerly wait to see who will score the first IPL hundred of the season. It is a moment of glory not just for the player but for the whole team and it often sets the tone for the matches ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years this record has been claimed by legends like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Sanju Samson showing that scoring a first 100 in IPL requires both talent and the right mindset from ball one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Players Who Hit the First Century in IPL Every Season (2008\u20132026)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is the complete season by season list of every player who scored the first century  in IPL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season<\/strong><\/td>Player<\/strong><\/td>Team<\/strong><\/td>Score<\/strong><\/td>Opponent<\/strong><\/td>Date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
2008<\/td>Brendon McCullum<\/td>KKR<\/td>158*<\/td>vs RCB<\/td>18 Apr 2008<\/td><\/tr>
2009<\/td>AB de Villiers<\/td>DD<\/td>105*<\/td>vs CSK<\/td>19 Apr 2009<\/td><\/tr>
2010<\/td>Yusuf Pathan<\/td>RR<\/td>100<\/td>vs MI<\/td>13 Mar 2010<\/td><\/tr>
2011<\/td>Paul Valthaty<\/td>KXIP<\/td>120*<\/td>vs CSK<\/td>13 Apr 2011<\/td><\/tr>
2012<\/td>Ajinkya Rahane<\/td>RR<\/td>103*<\/td>vs RCB<\/td>15 Apr 2012<\/td><\/tr>
2013<\/td>Shane Watson<\/td>RR<\/td>101<\/td>vs CSK<\/td>22 Apr 2013<\/td><\/tr>
2014<\/td>Lendl Simmons<\/td>MI<\/td>100*<\/td>vs KXIP<\/td>21 May 2014<\/td><\/tr>
2015<\/td>Brendon McCullum<\/td>CSK<\/td>100*<\/td>vs SRH<\/td>11 Apr 2015<\/td><\/tr>
2016<\/td>Quinton de Kock<\/td>DD<\/td>108<\/td>vs RCB<\/td>17 Apr 2016<\/td><\/tr>
2017<\/td>Sanju Samson<\/td>DD<\/td>102<\/td>vs RPS<\/td>11 Apr 2017<\/td><\/tr>
2018<\/td>Chris Gayle<\/td>KXIP<\/td>104*<\/td>vs SRH<\/td>19 Apr 2018<\/td><\/tr>
2019<\/td>Sanju Samson<\/td>RR<\/td>102*<\/td>vs SRH<\/td>29 Mar 2019<\/td><\/tr>
2020<\/td>KL Rahul<\/td>KXIP<\/td>132*<\/td>vs RCB<\/td>24 Sep 2020<\/td><\/tr>
2021<\/td>Sanju Samson<\/td>RR<\/td>119<\/td>vs PBKS<\/td>12 Apr 2021<\/td><\/tr>
2022<\/td>Jos Buttler<\/td>RR<\/td>100<\/td>vs MI<\/td>2 Apr 2022<\/td><\/tr>
2023<\/td>Harry Brook<\/td>SRH<\/td>100*<\/td>vs KKR<\/td>14 Apr 2023<\/td><\/tr>
2024<\/td>Virat Kohli<\/td>RCB<\/td>113*<\/td>vs RR<\/td>6 Apr 2024<\/td><\/tr>
2025<\/td>Ishan Kishan<\/td>SRH<\/td>106*<\/td>vs RR<\/td>23 Mar 2025<\/td><\/tr>
2026<\/td>Sanju Samson<\/td>CSK<\/td>115*<\/td>vs DC<\/td>11 Apr 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Brendon McCullum – (2008, 2015)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the very first IPL match McCullum smashed 158* for KKR against RCB at a strike rate of over 190. It was the first ever first century in IPL history and changed T20 batting forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He did it again in 2015 with 100* for CSK against SRH showing his explosive style never faded. McCullum remains the only player apart from Sanju Samson to score the first century of a season twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AB de Villiers – (2009)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

AB de Villiers scored 105* for Delhi Daredevils against CSK on 19 April 2009 with a perfect mix of power and timing. He played creative shots that only he could think of and handled the CSK attack with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first IPL hundred of 2009 proved AB was going to be one of the most dangerous batters in the IPL. His innings gave a huge total and showed his match winning ability at the highest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yusuf Pathan – (2010)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yusuf Pathan scored 100 for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians on 13 March 2010 relying on his powerful hitting and natural aggression. He took on the MI bowlers fearlessly and used his strength to clear the boundary multiple times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This knock came early in the season and immediately set the tone for RR’s campaign. Pathan was a proven match winner and this century showed why he was one of IPL’s most feared batters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Valthaty – (2011)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Paul Valthaty scored 120* for Kings XI Punjab against CSK on 13 April 2011 which was one of the biggest surprise centuries in IPL history. He batted fearlessly against a quality CSK bowling attack and played shots all around the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though his IPL career was short this innings made sure his name would never be forgotten. The first century in IPL of 2011 belonged to an underdog and that made it truly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ajinkya Rahane – (2012)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ajinkya Rahane scored 103* for Rajasthan Royals against RCB on 15 April 2012 showing a completely different side of himself. Known as a Test specialist he proved he could play big in T20 with controlled aggression and smart shot selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rahane built his innings carefully before accelerating in the final overs making this one of the most well crafted first 100 in IPL knocks. His century was a key performance for RR early in the 2012 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shane Watson – (2013)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shane Watson scored 101 for Rajasthan Royals against CSK on 22 April 2013 using his height and reach to dominate the bowling from the start. He was always someone who could score big runs quickly without looking like he was taking any risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking on CSK was never easy but Watson made it look simple and gave RR a commanding total. His knock was a perfect example of how a top order batter sets the platform in T20 cricket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lendl Simmons – (2014)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lendl Simmons scored 100* for Mumbai Indians against Kings XI Punjab on 21 May 2014 with the clean hitting that West Indian openers are famous for. His innings came at an important stage when MI needed a strong performance to keep their campaign alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first IPL hundred of 2014 belonged to Simmons showing exactly why MI trusted him at the top of the order. His ability to stay calm under pressure and score quickly made this a very valuable knock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quinton de Kock – (2016)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Quinton de Kock scored 108 for Delhi Daredevils against RCB on 17 April 2016 with a brilliant left handed display that used the powerplay overs perfectly. He punished both pace and spin and never allowed the RCB bowlers to settle into any rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first century in IPL of 2016 was one of the highlights of de Kock’s early IPL career. His innings gave DD a strong platform and showed he had the temperament to perform at the highest T20 level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanju Samson – (2017, 2019, 2021, 2026)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sanju Samson is the undisputed king of the first century in IPL with four season opening hundreds in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2026. No other batter has done this more times and doing it for three different teams makes it even more remarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sanju Samson century has become a tradition fans look forward to every season. His 115* for CSK in 2026 proved once again that he is one of the most gifted batters in ipl first century history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Gayle – (2018)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chris Gayle scored 104* for Kings XI Punjab against SRH on 19 April 2018 with the effortless power hitting that made him the greatest T20 batter of all time. He walked out, took control immediately and hit massive sixes making it look completely easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gayle has more T20 centuries than any batter in history and his runs that season kept him in the hunt for the IPL Orange Cap<\/a>. His innings gave KXIP a target that SRH always found very difficult to chase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KL Rahul – (2020)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

KL Rahul scored 132* for Kings XI Punjab against RCB on 24 September 2020 which is the highest score ever among all first century in IPL knocks. He dominated the RCB bowling in UAE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IPL 2020 was held in UAE due to the pandemic but Rahul adapted instantly and showed he was in brilliant form. This innings was the beginning of one of the greatest individual IPL seasons any batter has produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jos Buttler – (2022)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jos Buttler scored 100 for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians on 2 April 2022 in the very first match of the season. He batted with incredible clarity and reached his century with control and timing that left everyone truly impressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buttler went on to score four centuries in IPL 2022 which is a record in itself. This first 100 in IPL of 2022 was the spark that started one of the greatest batting seasons in IPL history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harry Brook – (2023)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Harry Brook scored 100* for Sunrisers Hyderabad against KKR on 14 April 2023 with a confident and composed batting display. He built his innings patiently and accelerated smartly in the final overs to reach a fine century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brook had proven himself in Test cricket but this knock showed he could perform in the fastest format too. His first century in IPL of 2023 helped SRH post a strong total and put his name on the IPL map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virat Kohli – (2024)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Virat Kohli scored 113* for RCB against Rajasthan Royals on 6 April 2024 silencing every critic who questioned his T20 form. He finished the season with the most runs in IPL<\/a> and this century set everything in motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the most celebrated first century in IPL of 2024 coming from the biggest name in Indian cricket at the right time. Kohli reminded the world that the King still has everything it takes to dominate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ishan Kishan – (2025)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ishan Kishan scored 106* for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals on 23 March 2025 with a powerful left handed display that got SRH off to a flying start. He was aggressive from the first ball and never gave the RR bowlers a chance to settle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first IPL hundred of 2025 showed Kishan was fully focused and ready to deliver big performances for SRH. His knock set the tone for the team’s campaign and proved he can take any bowling attack apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting Facts About First Century in IPL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n