Top 10 Longest Sixes In IPL History

It might be exciting to watch the IPL. Any cricket fan might get enthused by the fast-paced nature of the game and the incredible and enormous sixes that are being struck by batters. World-class players make up some incredible starting line-ups for the clubs. Some of them have powerful swings, so viewers can anticipate a barrage of sixes in every game. Since the start of the competition, the IPL has seen several great hits from players, including some very massive ones.

The Indian Premier League is the world's greatest cricket competition because of the quality of the matches played. As the contest goes on, power striking only becomes more intense. Let's look back at some past matches and see who struck the biggest sixes within IPL, even as phase 2 of the 2023 tournament is about to start.

We'll take a look at the ten longest and biggest sixes in the IPL era in this post, which will be discussed for many years to come. But before moving forward, firstly, we start with the concept of IPL.

What is IPL?

IPL, a T20 cricket competition first formed in 2008. The tournament will be extended to consist of a total of 10 teams. It is typically contested from April through June each year. Every franchise will face the other twice-at home and away-during the round-robin event that precedes the Indian Premier League. Teams get one point apiece if the game is abandoned, whereas sides receive two factors for victories.

The top 4 teams in the standings will advance to the playoffs at the conclusion of this phase, while the other teams will be eliminated. The first qualifier, which pits the top two teams against one another and determines who advances directly to the championship, kicks off the playoffs.

The eliminator, which pits the third and fourth-placed teams against one another, comes up next. The victor advances to the next qualifying round, while the loser gets disqualified. The champion of the elimination squares off against the losers of the initial playoff match in the subsequent qualifier. The game's victor moves on to the championship round.

When does the IPL Begin?

The IPL's specific start dates change from year to year although they usually fall during the first week of April. IPL 2022 takes off on March 26. Beginning with the group stages, the tournament continues through the rest of April and into May.

The elimination rounds start, and the final is typically planned for late May or early June. The competition has operated under this format for many years; however, these dates are susceptible to change.

Player Auction

Every tournament's preparation phase includes a player auction. The franchises will compete for the skills of the players who wish to participate in the IPL by bidding on them during the auction.

An agreed-upon base price, which serves as a kind of reserve amount, will be determined by the participants. That introductory price must be the minimum offer from any club interested in signing the player.

Squads are put together before the next season when the auction is over. Of course, teams may choose to substitute players for those forced to leave due to injury or other circumstances. The franchisees turn in a retained list prior to the start of that auction. These are the squad members that have already committed to the club for the next season. Once freed, other players can enter the auction if their services are no longer required.

List of Top Sixes in the History of IPL

1. Albie Morkel - 125 metres

Albie Morkel is a member of a cricketing family; his brother Morne competes against him for the national squad, and his dad, Albert Morkel, plays county cricket for South Africa during Apartheid period. Morkel played a significant role in the ODI team, and his contributions to South Africa during that memorable summer of 2008-2009 in Australia spoke to his rising status.

In Melbourne's first ODI matchup with Australia in 2009, Morkel's power-hitting handed South Africa the decisive advantage. He contributed to South Africa's victory in a tight game with an 18-ball 40, which set the stage for South Africa's first ODI series victory in Australia. He received the Man of the Tournament honor for his constant efforts throughout the series.

His batting aggressiveness has remained the same in all three forms, even though his bowling sometimes fluctuates between unpredictable and economical. While his returns don't always make for excellent reading, he has made a difference when the team needed him most by having the ball.

His ability to smash for power has given the Chennai Super Kings' successful run in the IPL and helped him get a contract with them. After six years of service to Chennai Super Kings, Albie was fired. However, the talented all-rounder with huge hits was snatched up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2014 auctions, proving that his skills could not be overlooked. After that, Delhi Daredevils purchased him at the 2015 auctions.

In a match against the Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad, Albie hit off-spinner Pragyan Ojha for a huge six, forcing the umpires to take a new ball since the previous one had left the field. The Indian Premier League's first season was when fans experienced this great hit, followed by several more. Facing Deccan Chargers (DC) spinning bowler Pragyan Ojha in the IPL, he struck the record-setting longest six of all time, measuring 125 meters in 2008.

2. Praveen Kumar - 124 metres

Right-handed medium-pace bowler Praveen Kumar played cricket for India in the past. Praveen, who was born on Oct 2, 1986 in Meerut, is a representative of the traditional medium pacer throughout India. Even though he bowls at 125 kph, he does not pose any difficulties for batters of the highest caliber against him. However, his ability to swing the ball even on a road has made him India's "go-to" bowler.

He participated during first cricket for the squad representing Uttar Pradesh. At the trailing edge of the 2008 CB Tournament in Australia, Praveen gained quick fame after taking ten wickets in only four games. India was also assisted in winning the tri-nation event by two 4-wicket hauls.

He made the batters very nervous with his deceptive velocity and capacity to swing the new ball. His success allowed him to get a $300,000 IPL deal with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Praveen played for the Royal Challengers in the 2010 IPL season, during which he achieved a hat-trick against the Rajasthan Royals. Kings XI Punjab paid a stunning US $ 800,000 to get him during the 2011 auctions.

Why on earth would I include a bowler on this list, you may be asking. One never knows who will hit a long six. He thus established himself as the second player here on the ranking by smashing a six against Mumbai Indians (MI) Lasith Malinga, which measured 124 meters in length.

3. Adam Gilchrist - 122 metres

A retired professional cricket player, current cricket commentator, and captain of Australia's national squad is Adam Craig Gilchrist AM. He was a record-breaking wicketkeeper as well as an aggressive left-handed hitter. The main reason Gilchrist originally played for Australia in ODIs was to provide a backup for the steadfast Ian Healy, who was then beginning to become older.

While Australia effectively phased out Healy with a replacement ready to step in, Gilly's better batting abilities enabled him to play as a pure hitter, albeit for a few games. At the top, he displayed incredible flamboyance and gave the team energy in the early innings. In addition to being a skilled shot maker, he was also pretty reliable, and these qualities, along with his reputation as a keeper, made him an invaluable asset for the team.

Following his ODI success, Gilly ultimately made it to the Test team in 1999, where his development continued. In addition to making his Test debut in 1999, he also had an outstanding ODI season, scoring more than 1200 runs throughout the year. He was also a member of the Australian team that won the World Cup. Regardless of the state of the match, Gilchrist was a strong cutter and puller of the ball who often picked up the length extremely early. Even the finest bowlers felt the strain from his intention.

He excelled in the IPL not just as a batter but also as an endearing and inspiring leader. He still holds the record for the longest six by a wicketkeeper with his massive 122-meter shot from 2011 while representing Kings XI Punjab. Gilly was leading the Punjab team at the moment. Thus, the IPL crowd was not shocked to see their favorite wicketkeeper deliver such a devastating blow. Adam Gilchrist participated in the IPL from 2008 to 2012 for the club's Kings XI Punjab and Deccan Chargers. When the Deccan Chargers won the IPL championship for the first time in 2009, he served as the winning captain.

4. Robin Uthappa - 120 metres

A former cricketer from India named Robin Venu Uthappa formerly played for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and Kerala in local competition. Both ODI and T20I matches saw Robin play for team India. In April 2006, during the seventh and last game of the English tour of India, Uthappa got his 1-day International debut. Uthappa opened the innings in Indore and made a fantastic start, scoring a well-rounded 86.

Since then, he has received a respectable amount of playing time. In 2007, he also participated in the 50-over World Cup team. The World T20's initial tournament was moved to South Africa that year, and Uthappa enjoyed a promising start before losing steam. He did participate in every game of the tournament, which India ultimately won.

Known for his strategy of rushing down on the bowler, he goes by the moniker "The Walking Assassin." He was a significant contributor to India's victory in the 2007 Icc Cricket world T20. The season's leading run scorer in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy, he ended. In advance of the IPL 2021 Player Auctions, the Rajasthan Royals sold Robin Uthappa onto Chennai Super Kings. Uthappa is one of the very few players who has played continuously across all the seasons of the Indian Premier League and has accumulated 4607 IPL runs.

Prior to the 2020 season, Uthappa signed with the Royals and appeared in 12 games for them. Uthappa previously contributed significantly to KKR's title-winning campaigns in 2012 and 2014, scoring an overall total of 405 and 660 runs in those years' editions. An ongoing strategy at the top of the order and a career strike rate of 130.50. He did it in 2010 while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore when he hit a six that was 120 meters long.

Although he has always been a traditional player who values time, he has shown that he is also capable of batting like power hitters under certain conditions. He has, in fact, maintained his fourth place on the list for many years. One of the best run scorers in IPL history is Robin. On September 14, 2022, he announced that he would retire from every form of cricket.

5. Chris Gayle - 119 metres

A Jamaican cricketer named Christopher Henry Gayle, OD, has been representing the West Indies from 1999 in global tournament. There is no denying Chris Gayle's preference for Test cricket, despite his height of over six feet and his ability to create or break T20 leagues with his bat. He once swung a Brett Lee delivery beyond the Lord Tennyson school near Oval, earning him a reputation as one of the most brutal cricketers ever.

In addition to other modern opening batters, Gayle dissed a well-known cricketing redundancy for his dismissal of footwork. It's understandable why he became the first batter to smash the first pitch in a Test series for a six. He scored 215 off 147 in a World Cup match versus Zimbabwe in Canberra in 2015, outran Sehwag to achieve the ODIs' quickest double century.

Gayle, who became the first player to score hundreds in each of the three forms of cricket, aptly personifies the weight disparity between the different cricket formats, which become more pronounced with the 2008 advent of the IPL. Thus, in 2009, West Indies skipper Chris Gayle travelled to England after participating in seven IPL games. His team lost the Test match, and Gayle received harsh criticism from both the media and the public.

He has the most sixes ever recorded in the IPL (357), more than any other player. Versus Ashok Dinda of the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2013, he smashed the biggest IPL six of all time, measuring 119 meters. Prior to moving on to Punjab Kings, Gayle had a fantastic opening-position run with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

6. Yuvraj Singh - 119 metres

An ex-international cricketer for India, Yuvraj Singh participated in all game types. An all-arounder, he bowled slow left-arm orthodox and batted left-handed in the middle order. Few things in cricket are more beautiful to see than a free-flowing Yuvraj Singh at his best. He unquestionably ranks among the best match-winners in the history of white-ball cricket.

All three of those magnificent cover drives slap cutters through backward point, and the fluid wrist-drop kick over mid-wicket exuded class. Against Australia in the 2000 Champions Trophy, he made his international debut in the 50-over format, showcasing his whole range.

At that time, it wasn't often for a batsman, especially a novice, to put the renowned Australian attack to the sword. Besides his hitting, Yuvraj had made a big impression with his electrifying fielding abilities. Since India's fielding at the time was just mediocre, Yuvraj's arrival was like a breath of fresh air.

Yuvraj and MS Dhoni, who was still young batsman, developed into important parts of the Indian middle order during the next few years, which delighted in chasing down runs in one-day international cricket. India once even set the record for most great run chases in a row, thanks to the duo's frequent ridicule of the opposition's objective.

At the height of his abilities, Yuvraj excelled in huge competitions and matches, which was one of his many strengths. Numerous times, he would perform poorly before exploding into action in an ICC competition. The guy just enjoyed the demands of performing on a large stage and liked doing it.

When the IPL caravan arrived in 2008, he led the Punjab franchise for the first three seasons before swapping clubs. Even after all of his successes for India, Yuvraj unexpectedly never truly had a dominant IPL season. Indeed, he sometimes had some hits, but he never really had a solid season.

In 2009, while serving as captain of the Kings XI Punjab club, he hit a six that measured 119 meters. Prior to his retirement, Yuvraj had 149 sixes, placing him among the top 10 IPL six-hitters. Fans of cricket throughout the globe still remember his 119-meter six.

7. Ross Taylor - 119 metres

Luteru Retired New Zealand national captain & retired professional cricket player Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor CNZM. One of this decade's underappreciated cricketing greats has to be Ross Taylor. Over 6000 runs, averaging 48 and 45, have been scored by the individual in both Tests and ODIs. Incredible statistics, no?

Yet Taylor's name would hardly ever be included in a discussion of the best batsman in global cricket. It's ironic for his character, however, given how he burst into the international cricket scene with an exuberant, free-spirited style of strokeplay that enthralled the audience.

He debuted his domestic breakthrough for Central Districts in the 2002-03 season, and over the next two seasons, he gradually established himself as a dependable batter in all forms. His career took off during the 2005-06 season, and in early 2006, he was called up for home ODIs against Sri Lanka.

He made a strong first impression and launched his career with the series' first century. Later in the year, he made a few more noteworthy contributions that made it certain he would get a Test cap. However, it happened in the midst of a testing tour of South Africa in 2007, serving as the young Taylor's "baptism by fire."

Ross Taylor, a great from New Zealand, is pleased to be included on this list of the longest sixes in IPL history. His 119-meter home run ranks as the seventh-longest hit in history. When he participated in the tournament's first year (2008) as a member of Royal Challengers Bangalore, he accomplished this milestone.

8. Ben Cutting - 117 metres

A cricket player from Australia named Benjamin Colin James Cutting is indeed an all-rounder. Ben Cutting, a 1.92-meter height, muscular hulk of a medium-pacer who led Queensland in wickets for both the 2009-10 and 2010-11 Sheffield Shield seasons, was striving for nationwide selection.

He was then selected again for home series versus New Zealand, though he was not included in the starting lineup in any Test matches. He played a little bit effectively with the ball in his ODI & T20I debut over Sri Lanka during 2013, but he was unable to establish himself as a regular in the team due to recurrent ailments. In August 2014, he last competed in an ODI, which was held in Harare against Zimbabwe.

Ben Cutting became well-known when lower-order pinch-hitting & his famously deceiving bouncers in limited-overs cricket came to the forefront. In 2013, he went to India with the Brisbane Heat squad to compete in the Champions League T20. He was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals during the 2014 IPL auctions in order to compete in the seventh season of the league, but he didn't see much action since Rajasthan's other bowlers received priority over him.

Afterward, he was purchased by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team in the Indian Premier League, and he earned their trust with a match-winning performance in the 2016 championship game (wherein, simply put, he was the Man of the Match). He scored 39 off 15 deliveries to put the final touches on the innings before taking two wickets, one of whom was Chris Gayle, who turned the match around.

The longest strike of the 2016 competition was a six by Ben Cutting for Sunrisers Hyderabad that measured a massive 117 meters. He hits it cleanly and is a pure hitter. His batting approach is very power-oriented and less reliant on ball timing.

9. Gautam Gambhir - 117 meters

The cricketing journey of Gautam Gambhir includes all the characteristics of a classic Bollywood film, including the bling, the intrigue, the passion, the audacity, the quarrels, and of course the acche din and bure din.

Beginning with the 1999-2000 year, Gambhir played first-class cricket. However, the Delhi lad didn't initially get attention until a few years later, in 2002. The left-hander subsequently smashed the double 100 when competing again for Board President's XI against a visiting Zimbabwean team, hitting 218 runs. One year later, the big day arrived: Gambhir was named to the Indian side for the triangular TVS Cup match.

Gambhir first had to grin and bear it when selectors would simply ignore him since he wasn't as talented as some of his peers. But his love for the sport and his seemingly insatiable desire for runs set him apart from the pack.

There are significant risks at the highest level. Even the smallest flaws in the finest batsman may be picked up by bowlers. A flaw in Gambhir's generally robust defenses was that the front foot would occasionally drop slightly, making him a frequent target for excellent fast bowlers who could bowl him out for LBW. Between 2003 and 2006, his bat was kept silent by this methodical defect, which proved to be a recurring issue.

As soon as the problem was rectified, Gambhir was back in the mix and had scored enough runs to make a strong case for a spot in the Indian team for the 2007 ODI World Cup. The choosers, however, had a different opinion. Instead, they opted to bat Robin Uthappa, a powerful right-hander with experience in the top order and a history of hitting game-winning shots.

In the years from 2008 to 2011, Gambhir was at the height of his game. He displayed constant aggression on the field throughout those years, scoring huge, often match-winning runs. Gambhir broke new ground in the 2008 CB time Down Under when he surpassed players like Sachin, Ponting, and Sangakara to become the ODI tri-series' leading run-scorer. Gambhir quickly secured his position in the ODI squad, stepping into the legendary left-hander Sourav Ganguly's enormous footsteps. He also made the Test squad because to his outstanding performance in the ODIs.

Gambhir was one of the IPL's most esteemed players despite his struggles in the international game. At the 2011 IPL auction, KKR bid a respectable amount of Rs 11 crore. Gambhir took up the fight and turned around the fortunes of a faltering franchise, guiding them to notable IPL championship victories in 2012 and 2014.

Gambhir made another appearance with the Delhi Daredevils in 2018. The largest six ever hit in an IPL game belongs to Gautam Gambhir. For Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013, his 117-meter six was regarded as one of the season's best pure hits. Before his retirement, he led KKR to two IPL championships.

10. MS Dhoni - 115 metres

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a former international cricketer representing India, captained the Indian national national side in constrained forms between 2007 until 2017 and also in Test match cricket between 2008 - 2014. Dhoni's Indian career got off to a rough start as his debut. ODI resulted in a duck, followed by a succession of poor performances.

The selectors, on the other hand, including the captain at the time, Sourav Ganguly, decided to stick with him and give him more time. In the 5th ODI versus Pakistan, who undoubtedly didn't have seen the wholesale slaughter coming, Dhoni repaid in full their confidence with a demonstration of his charm and bold stroke-play. Dhoni slaughtered the route towards 148 at Vishakhapatnam.

Key players, including Sachin Tendulkar & Rahul Dravid, suggested Dhoni for the leadership after Rahul Dravid stood down from the position because of his mature demeanor and keen cricketing mentality. Dhoni and his young team romped to the championship in the first World T20 in 2007, a stunning triumph for the inexperienced Indian side that sparked the T20 movement in India.

This was Dhoni's maiden assignment in the tournament. After India carried the trophy home, Dhoni's cool and collected leadership style received widespread praise from the cricket community, garnering him the moniker "Captain Cool." Following winning the World T20, he was quickly given the ODI leadership as a logical next step, and after Anil Kumble's retired in late 2008, he was also given the Test leadership.

Dhoni led them to their inaugural stay as the top-ranked Test cricket team in the world thanks to his dominant performance as captain, which included an undefeated streak in the Test series since he assumed the command. His winning streak includes wins over Australia at home in 2008, over New Zealand in 2009, as well as at home against Sri Lanka in 2010.

It culminated in a convincing victory at the Brabourne stadium in Bombay when he was presented with coveted Test Championship mace. Following this, India remained dominant at home in Test matches and tied a series with South Africa. In the series finale in Cape Town, the hosts' tenacious defense barely prevented them from losing to a roaring Indian team in peak form. In 2014, he captained the team to a World T20 finals in Bangladesh, where India defeated Sri Lanka and the semi-final of the World T20 in India in 2016.

Dhoni currently serves as the captain of the Chennai franchise, among the most dominant franchises in Indian Premier League history. Chennai won championships in the year 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021. Outstanding performer MS Dhoni is among the most successful captains in the Indian Premier League and is renowned for his sky-kissing sixes. One of the tournament's greatest sixes was his 115-meter shot from a distance in 2009.

Conclusion

The best ten IPL cricketers who've already scored its most sixes are shown below. Additionally, these are a few of the heavy hitters that can quickly and easily clear the field. We may anticipate more spectacular hits when the second part of the competition gets underway in less than a week.