Unique records held by Brendon McCullum in IPL
The name Brendon McCullum was synonymous with destruction during his playing days. The former New Zealand skipper was nothing but ruthless as he backed himself to thrash the best of bowling line-ups. Besides international cricket, he also made a significant mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was the first centurion of the tournament. Here we decode McCullum's unique records in IPL.
McCullum scripted history at Eden Gardens
Amidst all the hype and pandemonium surrounding the newly introduced IPL, in came Brendon McCullum. His blistering 158* off 73 deliveries propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to 222/3 after Royal Challengers Bengaluru put them into bat in the first-ever IPL fixture in 2008. KKR won the match by 140 runs as they bundled out RCB for 82 runs in front of the massive Eden crowd.
Second-highest individual score in IPL history
McCullum's 158* remained the highest-individual score in IPL for over five seasons before Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Chris Gayle overtook him in 2013. The West Indies star scored a breathtaking 175* against the now-defunct Pune Warriors India. However, no other batter has touched the 150-run mark in IPL to date. Meanwhile, McCullum's 158* is the highest score by a designated keeper-batter in T20 history.
Joint-second most sixes in IPL innings
McCullum hammered 13 sixes during his 158*-run knock. These are the joint-second-most sixes hit by a batter in an IPL innings as Gayle also cleared the fence 13 times against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2012. Gayle also tops his unique list as he recorded 17 sixes against Pune Warriors India during his 175*-run knock.
Only batter with this record
McCullum's second and final IPL hundred came for Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2015. He scored an unbeaten 56-ball 100 in that game. To date, McCullum is the only batter to slam centuries both for KKR and CSK. Meanwhile, he also became the first batter to hammer a hundred against the Sunrisers.
Here are his overall IPL numbers
McCullum retired from the IPL following the 2018 season, during which he played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru(RCB). He ended with 2,880 runs across 109 IPL games at an average of 27.69. His strike rate reads 131.75. The tally includes 13 fifties besides two tons. Besides RCB, KKR, and CSK, he represented Gujarat Lions and Kochi Tuskers Kerala in IPL (both defunct now).
