The just-concluded IPL 2025 season witnessed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) break their title jinx at last with a heart-stopping six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final of the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. In nail-biting finishes, astronomical totals, and dynamite batting, a trend was noticed – the power of veteran batters who not only dominated T20s but also, importantly, the most demanding version of the lot: Test cricket.

Glory in both the IPL and Test cricket is a special combination of temperament, versatility, and technique. Here, we pay our hat off to four special players who have scored more than 5,000 runs in both formats – a testament to their all-format greatness.

4. Ajinkya Rahane – The Calm Craftsman

Ajinkya Rahane is not maybe the flashiest name in T20 cricket, but unbeknownst to many, his consistency has earned him a place in the 5,000-run club in Tests and the IPL. Captaining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025, Rahane also had a decent season, scoring 390 runs from 12 matches at a batting average of 35.45 and a strike rate of almost 148.

During the IPL season, Rahane went past the 5,000-run mark. His whole aggregate – 5,032 runs in 198 matches – comprise two centuries and 33 half-centuries. In Tests, the 37-year-old has accumulated 5,077 runs from 85 games, including 12 centuries and 26 fifties, at a decent average of 38.46. Although he hasn't appeared in a Test since 2023, his contribution is still imprinted on Indian cricket history.

3. AB de Villiers – The 360-Degree Mastermind

AB de Villiers revolutionized modern batting with his aggressive strokeplay and unmatched versatility. An RCB regular, de Villiers amassed 5,162 runs in 184 IPL games at 39.70 average with a strike rate of 151.68. He recorded three centuries and 40 half-centuries in the course of the league and was always the player RCB entrusted to come good under pressure.

In the longer version of the game, South Africa's great was just as productive with 8,765 runs in 114 Tests at a staggering average of 50.66. His 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries feature a record-breaking 278 not out against Pakistan in 2010. De Villiers' panache and determination helped to establish him as a master.

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2. David Warner – The Pocket Dynamo

David Warner's transformation from a T20 specialist to a Test match colossus is a nightmare turned dream. The Aussie opener has been unstoppable in the IPL,        aggregating 6,565 runs in 184 games at a 40.52 average and a strike rate of almost 140. Warner has four centuries and 62 half-centuries to his name, with a record of consistency that is hard to match, particularly as captain in SRH's championship-winning year of 2016.

In Tests, Warner's same hunger and ferocity came to the fore with 8,786 runs in 112 matches at 44.59. Among his 26 centuries is a career-best 335* against Pakistan in 2019. Warner's capability of changing gears between formats shows the class and thinking mind of the man. 

1. Virat Kohli – The Run Machine

No surprise there – the list is topped by Virat Kohli. Indian cricket behemoth Kohli is the IPL's highest run-scorer with 8,661 runs in 267 games at 39.54. The 36-year-old totalled eight hundred and 63 half-centuries, including one season in 2025 when he made 657 runs at a run-a-game average of eight fifties.

Kohli’s Test career is equally monumental. Though he retired from the format earlier this year, he signed off with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85. His 30 centuries and 31 fifties placed him among India’s greatest-ever red-ball batters. Despite a dip in form post-2020, Kohli’s legacy in Tests is well secured.

In a specialist batsman age, these four batsmen have shown that class, hard work, and adaptability could transcend formats. Scoring more than 5,000 runs in both IPL and Tests is not a stat game; it's an indication of consistency at the highest level. These men did not just play games; they grew, they adapted, and survived from the slog-fest of five days to the 20-over fireworks. Legends overall.