The much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) season kicks off on March 22nd, 2024, at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This season promises a thrilling mix of veteran stars and exciting newcomers. Fans eagerly await the return of former Indian Captain MS Dhoni, potentially playing his final season, and Virat Kohli, back after a short international cricket hiatus. 

Fresh faces like Rachin Ravindra, Gerald Coetzee, Nuwan Thushara, and Spencer Johnson will be ones to watch. Injuries to key players like Devon Conway and Suryakumar Yadav cast a shadow, while international commitments might see stars like Wanindu Hasaranga miss early matches due to the Sri Lanka Test series against Bangladesh (March 22nd – April 3rd).

See also: Fans react as MS Dhoni hits sixes in a training session

Now we can Look at some facts and stats of First IPL Centurions for each season: 

2008: Former New Zealand Skipper Brendon McCullum set the inaugural season ablaze with a blistering 158 runs off just 73 balls on the opening day, truly setting the stage for high-octane IPL cricket. 

2010: Yusuf Pathan (India) holds the record for the fastest IPL century by an Indian (37 balls) and the fastest hundred by a non-opener. This feat against Mumbai Indians cemented his place in IPL. 

2011:Paul Valthaty (uncapped) broke the trend, becoming the first uncapped player to score the opening century of an IPL season. 

Interestingly, in the 16 IPL seasons played so far, nine centuries(first IPL centurions) have been scored by foreign players, with Brendon McCullum leading the pack with two. However, Indian batsmen are catching up, with Sanju Samson contributing a remarkable three centuries to the list of first IPL centurions. Will this season see a new foreign star emerge, or will an Indian batters dominate and etch their name in IPL history? 

With this blend of experience and youthful, the upcoming IPL season promises to be a crackerjack. Who will be the next player to join the prestigious club of first IPL centurions? 

As excitement builds, let’s revisit the history of IPL’s first centurions for each season, adding a touch of nostalgia to the upcoming season’s anticipation

Season	Player	Against
2008	Brendon McCullum (KKR)	Royal Challengers Bangalore
2009	AB de Villiers (DC)	Chennai Super Kings
2010	Yusuf Pathan(RR)	Mumbai Indians
2011	Paul Valthaty (PBKS)	Chennai Super Kings
2012	Ajinkya Rahane (RR)	Royal Challengers Bangalore
2013	Shane Watson (RR)	Chennai Super Kings
2014	Lendi Simmons (MI)	Punjab Kings
2015	Brendon McCullum (CSK)	Sunrisers Hyderabad
2016	Quinton de Kock (DC)	Royal Challengers Bangalore
2017	Sanju Samson (DC)	Rising Pune Supergiant
2018	Chris Gayle (PBKS)	Sunrisers Hyderabad
2019	Sanju Samson (RR)	Sunrisers Hyderabad
2020	KL Rahul (PBKS)	Royal Challengers Bangalore
2021	Sanju Samson (RR)	Punjab Kings
2022	Jos Buttler (RR)	Mumbai Indians
2023	Harry Brook (SRH)	Kolkata Knight Riders