Dinesh Karthik has turned IPL longevity into an art, spanning 17 seasons and eight different franchises before settling in as the finisher for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024. With 4,842 runs off just 3,577 balls, the veteran wicket-keeper-batsman has built his reputation on fearless hitting: 466 fours and 161 sixes fly off his blade at a strike rate of 135. Though a highest score of 97 has kept him tantalisingly short of a century, 22 half-centuries underline a career of consistent cameos and clutch chases. From his 2008 debut with Delhi Capitals to title runs with Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, Karthik has been the silent points-multiplier every squad craves. In 233 innings he has repeatedly walked in during high-pressure overs and flipped games in a blink—turning dot balls into boundary fests and scoreboard pressure into victory chants. Now donning the RCB red for his fourth straight season, the 39-year-old remains one of the league’s premier finishers, proving that experience, smart strike rotation and raw power can still outshine younger legs.

Chris Gayle IPL story: 13 seasons, 4 965 runs, 357 sixes and one unforgettable 175. The self-styled “Universe Boss” walked into IPL 2009 with Kolkata Knight Riders, but it was at Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011-2017 that he became a global T20 icon—belting 404 fours and 357 sixes overall at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 148. In 141 innings he cleared the rope once every 9.3 balls and produced 31 half-centuries plus six blistering hundreds, the most famous being his record 175* off 66 balls at the Chinnaswamy in 2013. After his Bengaluru fireworks, Gayle took his power game to Punjab Kings, turning up in orange from 2018 to 2021 and continuing to pepper boundaries with the same ruthless ease. While he rolled his arm over occasionally—18 wickets in 38 bowling innings—his narrative is written in soaring sixes and match-winning hundreds that re-defined T20 batting forever.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.