Mumbai, Apr 22 (IANS): India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday became the first batsman to get to 6,000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history.

Kohli, who scored a half-century in a huge century partnership with Devdutt Padikkal for the opening wicket against Rajasthan Royals, turned one to fine leg fence to reach the landmark.

Just before reaching the 6000-run landmark, the right-handed batsman had reached his first half-century of this IPL season.

Kohli is way ahead of Suresh Raina (5448) and Shikhar Dhawan (5428), who both are over 500 runs behind the talismanic batsman.

Thursday's match against RR was Kohli's 196th match. He has scored over 500 fours and over 200 sixes in his IPL career.

Prior to the game against RR, he got a couple of scores of 33 in the first two matches of the season and then got a five.

Although playing second fiddle to the more fluent and aggressive Padikkal, Kohli played some imperious strokes and turned up the strike rate as he neared his half-century.