IPL 2021: Orange Cap contenders from each team

IPL Orange Cap: The 14^th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be hosted by the BCCI in India from April 9 to May 30 across six venues namely Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata. The defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the season opener on April 9 in Chennai. There were many celebratory performances by the batters as well as the bowlers in the last year’s tournament, however, it is always the batsmen whose contributions come under the notice in such global T20 leagues.

Who will win Orange Cap in IPL 2021?

The best batsman who scores the most number of runs in IPL 2021 will be awarded with the Orange Cap. Let us take a look at the list of batters who can make a mark in the upcoming season.

1. MI Orange Cap Contender – Suryakumar Yadav

India’s latest T20 debutant Suryakumar Yadav played an important role with the bat in Mumbai Indians’ fifth IPL title victory last year. Suryakumar recorded a fabulous tally of 480 runs in 16 matches at an average of 40 and strike-rate of 145.01. The right-hander smashed 4 fifties including a match-winning 79-run innings against RCB. He also smashed an outstanding knock of 51 runs on his T20I debut against England. This will be a crucial IPL season for Suryakumar to seal his spot in the national team for the T20 World Cup 2021 and he could finish as the leading run-getter in the upcoming tournament.

Suryakumar Yadav in IPL 2020
Matches: 16
Runs: 480
Avg: 40
SR: 145.01
50: 4

2. CSK Orange Cap Contender – Suresh Raina

After missing out on the last season due to personal reason, veteran batsman Suresh Raina will have a point to prove in the upcoming tournament.  With a remarkable tally of 5368 runs in 193 games, Raina is currently the second highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL. The CSK veteran who is also called Mr. IPL has notched up 38 half-centuries and 1 hundred. Raina surely has the ability to roll back the clock with his sensational batting prowess in what could turn out to be his last IPL season for the Chennai Super Kings.

Suresh Raina’s numbers in IPL
Matches: 193
Runs: 5368
Avg: 33.34
SR: 137.11
50: 38

Related: Who will win Purple Cap in IPL 2021?

3. SRH Orange Cap Contender – David Warner

Undoubtedly, David Warner has been the most impactful overseas batsman in the history of the IPL. The Sunrisers Hyderabad captain finished as the third highest run-getter last year with an excellent total of 548 runs in 16 matches at a strike-rate of 134.64 that included 5 fifties. Warner is also the only batsman to score more than 500 runs in six consecutive seasons of the IPL. The left-hander is the third highest run-getter in the history of the tournament with a tally of 5254 runs in 142 matches. The swashbuckling Aussie opener will definitely be amongst the leading run-getters in IPL 2021 as well.

David Warner in IPL 2020
Matches: 16
Runs: 548
Avg: 39.14
SR: 134.64
50: 5

4. RCB Orange Cap Contender – Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli has given himself a big chance to end up as the leading run-scorer in the upcoming season of the IPL as he will be opening the batting. In a season where he was not at his very best last year, Kohli still managed to score a total of 466 runs in 15 matches at an average of 42.36. The Indian captain is currently the leading run-scorer in the history of the IPL with a stupendous tally of 5878 runs. Kohli will be hoping to replicate his staggering IPL 2016 numbers where he notched up close to 970 runs.

Virat Kohli in IPL 2020
Matches: 15
Runs: 466
Avg: 42.36
SR: 121.35
50: 3

5. DC Orange Cap Contender – Rishabh Pant

The newly appointed Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant definitely makes a strong case to finish as the highest run-getter in the upcoming season of the IPL. After a dismal performance last year, Pant has surely worked really hard on his game for which he has also been commended by the entire cricket fraternity in the recent few months. He has played some terrific knocks for India lately across formats and will surely be a player to watch out for in the IPL 2021 as well. Pant had a breakthrough IPL season in 2018 where he smashed a phenomenal tally of 684 runs in 14 matches at an explosive strike-rate of 162.66.

Rishabh Pant in IPL 2020
Matches: 14
Runs: 343
Avg: 31.18
SR: 113.95
50: 1

6. Punjab Kings Orange Cap Contender- KL Rahul

The newly named Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul delivered a stunning performance with the bat in the last season. In IPL 2020, Rahul won the Orange Cap for his sensational tally of 670 runs from 14 games at an amazing average of 55.83. Rahul also scored the highest individual score by an Indian player in the history of the IPL during his brilliant knock of 132 runs off 69 balls in the game against RCB. After a poor show in the recently concluded T20I series against England, Rahul will be aiming to do well in this year’s IPL in order to earn his spot in the Indian playing XI for the T20 World Cup.

KL Rahul in IPL 2020
Matches: 14
Runs: 670
Avg: 55.83
SR: 129.34
50: 5
100: 1

7. KKR Orange Cap Contender – Shubman Gill

After a mind-boggling performance in the recent historic Australia tour, Shubman Gill will be looking to break the shackles in the upcoming IPL season. Last year in the IPL, Gill was the leading run-getter for Kolkata Knight Riders with a total of 440 runs in 14 matches but he will have to work on his strike-rate and consistency this season. Much like Test cricket, the stylish right-hander will be keen to make a mark in the shortest version of the game and there cannot be a better stage than the IPL. In his short career, Gill has played 41 IPL games scoring 939 runs at an average of 33.54 which included 7 fifties.

Shubman Gill in IPL 2020
Matches: 14
Runs: 440
Avg: 33.84
SR: 117.96
50: 3

8. RR Orange Cap Contender – Jos Buttler

England’s T20 opener Jos Buttler has done incredibly well in the IPL while playing at the top for Rajasthan Royals over the last three years. Buttler scored 328 runs in 13 matches at a strike-rate of 144.49 last year when the RR team management kept on changing his batting position.  After a brilliant performance for England in the recently concluded India T20I series, he is likely to play as an opener throughout the upcoming season of the IPL for Rajasthan Royals. In his staggering IPL season in 2018, Buttler smashed a sizzling tally of 548 runs in 13 games at an explosive strike-rate of 155.24.

Jos Buttler in IPL 2020
Matches: 13
Runs: 328
Avg: 32.80
SR: 144.49
50: 2

Related: Star SRH all-rounder pulls out of IPL 2021

IPL 2021 Time Table

The global IPL extravaganza will return home with Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru as the venues for the upcoming season. According to the IPL schedule 2021 list, each team is set to play at four venues during the league stage. Out of the 56 league-stage fixtures, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru will get to host a total of 10 games each while Ahmedabad and Delhi will host 8 games each. The BCCI has also that all the matches will be played at natural venues and thus, no team will play at their home venue in IPL 2021.

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