The Indian Premier League (IPL) turned 19 with the 2026 season. The T20 league has come a long way since its inception back in 2008.
Many players have come and gone in this journey. But only a few have been around all along the way.
And here are the four cricketers who have shown their longevity in the IPL by playing in all 19 seasons.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni set the inaugural IPL auction on fire. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spent USD 1.5 million to acquire the services of Captain Cool.
And MSD proved every penny’s worth. He led the CSK to five titles, 10 finals and 12 playoffs. That’s some consistency!
His role has changed now. Away from captaincy and more of a keeper-finisher.
Although he doesn’t bat a lot these days, he has had some impactful knocks. MSD’s tally of over 4800 runs is the highest for CSK.
And what to say about his keeping? He is still the quickest behind the wickets!
In between, there was a brief detour. Dhoni turned up for Rising Pune Supergiant for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when CSK faced a two-year suspension.
Also Read | MS Dhoni’s 7 Remarkable Records in IPL History
Virat Kohli
The one franchise guy. Virat Kohli has been with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all along. He is the only player to play for a team throughout the league’s history.
RCB took a young Kohli in 2008 and never let go. And he hasn’t left either.
The league changed around him. The team changed around him. His role changed too.
What didn’t change was the volume of runs. He has scored around 9000 runs, all in red and gold.
Only thing that eluded him for long was the IPL trophy. 2016 almost saw him lift that title. But he had to wait for 2025 to finally saw it fall everything in place.
Now in his 19th season, Kohli continues to do what he does the best. Score runs. Plenty of them, in fact.
Also Read | 4 Fascinating Records Held by Virat Kohli in IPL
Rohit Sharma
When you think of Rohit in the IPL, you see the trophies first. Five of them. All with Mumbai Indians.
But it didn’t start there. Deccan Chargers was the beginning. He helped them win the IPL in 2009 with his all-round performances. After three impactful seasons with the Chargers, MI snapped him up in 2011.
Just into his third season with MI, the franchise handed him the captaincy midway. That kind of call can go either way. Here, it didn’t.
Rohit delivered Mumbai’s maiden title in 2013. Then four more in the next seven years. Complete dominance!
He doesn’t lead the side now. But he still sits at the top of Mumbai’s run charts.
Also Read | Rohit Sharma’s 8 Astonishing Records in T20I Cricket
Manish Pandey
Unlike others, Manish Pandey has had stints with several IPL teams. Seven, to be precise.
It started quietly with Mumbai Indians in 2008. He played just three games for them. So, pretty easy to miss.
Then 2009 happened. Pandey scored a century for RCB. The first by an Indian batter in the IPL. And suddenly, people noticed.
He spent another season with RCB before joining Pune Warriors in 2011. Three seasons with Pune, but nothing quite clicked.
Then followed a defining phase with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In 2014, Pandey had a breakout season. His 401 runs helped KKR win the title. He was with them for three more seasons before a four-year run with SRH.
The last few seasons have been different, though. Shorter stints. Fewer chances. Lucknow Super Giants in 2022. Delhi Capitals in 2023. And then back to KKR in 2024. He continues to be with them even in 2026.
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