The IPL 2021 is just around the corner as the biggest T20 carnival is about to take centre stage again. The tournament is expected to be held in India between April-May. Each year the race for the orange cap in the IPL is always fascinating as not only India but overseas batsmen to dream about being the leading run-getter in the T20 league.
With the IPL again expected to be held in India runs will be flowing throughout the tournament and we will again witness batsmanship of the highest order. In this feature, we look ahead at the top 5 prime contenders who can win the orange cap of IPL 2021.
5 Players Who Can Win The Orange Cap In IPL 2021
5. Virat Kohli
The Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper is the leading run-getter in the history of IPL. Kohli in the last few editions of the IPL hasn’t been at his best but has still scored a majority of the runs for his side. In 2016, Kohli activated his beast mode the world witnessed a genius at work as he won the orange cap by slamming 973 runs.
Kohli will always be in the race of the orange cap holders in IPL 2021 as he plays as an anchor for his side and scores runs consistently at a strike rate of around 130. RCB fans will be hoping that Kohli has yet another freak year in the IPL and leads from the front which will give RCB a real chance to win their maiden IPL trophy.
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4. David Warner
When we talk about runs in the IPL the first name that automatically springs to mind is David Warner. The SRH skipper has mouth-watering numbers in his IPL career and his arguably the greatest ever overseas batsman in the IPL. Much like Kohli, Warner too likes the added burden of captaincy and takes his batting to another level.
As an opener, Warner gets the opportunity to bat all the 20 overs and that is why he is always in contention to win the orange cap. Talking about his staggering IPL numbers, in 142 matches he has scored 5254 runs at an average of 42 and strike rate of 150. Warner will be hungry to score a lot of runs again in IPL 2021 and lead SRH to their second IPL title.
3. Shikhar Dhawan
The seasoned opening batsman of the Delhi Capitals was at his best in the last IPL season. Dhawan slammed 2 IPL centuries and played an integral role in taking DC to their first IPL final. Last season, Dhawan ended the competition as the second-highest run-getter with 618 runs in 17 matches.
Considering the T20 WC will also be held in India this year Dhawan will be extra motivated to have another good year with the bat. The opening batsman is still a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket and he is again anticipated to be among the leading run-getters in IPL 2021. If he has a brilliant start to the season he may very well win the orange cap of IPL 2021.
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2. Suryakumar Yadav
The number 3 batsman of Mumbai Indians lit up IPL 2020 with his majestic batting. Whenever MI needed someone to stand up in a pressure situation, Suryakumar Yadav came to the fore and delivered. He made the headlines last season and he has now finally got his reward as he is part of India’s squad for the T20I series against England.
The classy batsman will again be a vital cog of defending champions Mumbai Indians as his side more often than not wins when he scores. Talking about IPL 2020, Suryakumar Yadav was the 7th highest run-getter as he scored 480 runs at an average of 40 and strike rate of 140.
1. KL Rahul
He was scoring runs for fun in IPL 2020 and is expected to do the same when he leads Punjab Kings next season. KL Rahul is undoubtedly a run machine in T20 cricket as he consistently churns out big scores. Last season in just 14 matches he smashed 670 runs and by some distance was the orange cup holder.
KL Rahul showed his ability to lead from the front as captain which was the biggest positive for his side last season. The tournament features some of the great batsmen from all around the globe but still, KL Rahul stands out as he can play both the touch and the power game. It should not surprise anyone if KL Rahul is once again among the leading run-getters in IPL 2021 and might even win back to back orange cap in the competition.
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