Runs galore – All the Orange Cap winners in the IPL so far
The Orange Cap in the IPL, as we all know, is given to the leading run-scorer of the tournament. However, winning the Orange Cap is not as easy as it seems. In a tournament like the IPL, it gets that much more difficult due to all the travelling and various venues involved. Traditionally, it has been the openers or the top-order batsmen who have often managed to win the Orange Cap. Here is a look at the season-wise Orange Cap winners in IPL:
1. Shaun Marsh | IPL 2008
Shaun Marsh will have his name etched in the record books forever for being the first-ever cricketer to win the Orange Cap in the IPL. He was brilliant that season with 616 runs in only 11 games at a mammoth average of 68.44 and a strike rate close to 140. He even struck one century in that season.
2. Matthew Hayden | IPL 2009
CSK’s Matthew Hayden won the Orange Cap in IPL 2009 when the tournament was held in South Africa. The left-hander mustered 572 runs in only 12 games at an average of 52. He scored five half-centuries in the tournament and had a strike rate close to 145 in the tournament.
3. Sachin Tendulkar | IPL 2010
It would have been the loss for the Orange Cap had it not featured on the head of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. But it did in the 2010 season when the ‘Master Blaster’ was at his absolute best. In 15 games that season, Sachin scored 618 runs at an average of nearly 48 and a strike rate of 133. He smashed five half-centuries in that season, hitting 86 fours and 3 sixes.
4. Chris Gayle | IPL 2011
Chris Gayle was not slated to play the IPL 2011. He was not picked at the auction and was a late replacement for Dirk Nannes in the RCB camp. The Jamaican grabbed the opportunity with both hands and showed the other franchises how big a mistake they committed by not picking him at the auction. He had the fire in him to prove a point and was unstoppable in 2011. He scored 608 runs in 12 games at an average of 68 and an S/R of 183 showing how destructive he was. He smashed 44 sixes in the season.
5. Chris Gayle | IPL 2012
Chris Gayle stepped up his game in the 2012 season and became the first player to win the Orange Cap two times in a row. In 14 innings, he scored 733 runs – also becoming the first player to breach the 700-run mark. He averaged 61 in the season, smashed 59 sixes coupled with 46 fours. His strike rate was 161.
6. Michael Hussey | IPL 2013
Michael Hussey became the second CSK player to win the Orange Cap in 2013. He scored exactly the same number of runs as Chris Gayle did in 2012 but batted in 17 innings. Hussey averaged 52 and had a strike rate of 130 in the season. He even registered six half-centuries in the season. With 708 runs, Chris Gayle was not far behind.
7. Robin Uthappa | IPL 2014
Robin Uthappa was the first player to win the Orange Cap for KKR. He had a massive role to play in KKR’s triumph in 2014. Robin accumulated 660 runs in 16 games at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 138. He scored nearly 100 runs more than the next batsman on the list in that season. He even registered 5 half-centuries.
8. David Warner | IPL 2015
David Warner became the first player to win the Orange Cap not only for the SRH but for both the Hyderabad-based franchises in 2015. It was a very competitive season for the Orange Cap and the Australian just about managed to win it. He scored 562 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 157.
9. Virat Kohli | IPL 2016
If someone said that a batsman would score nearly 1000 runs in a single IPL season before IPL 2016, hardly a few would have believed it. But Virat Kohli took consistency to the next level, breaking several records, and mustered 973 runs in the 16 games he played. He averaged 81 in the season with a strike rate of over 150. Kohli smashed an unbelievable 4 tons in the season combined with 7 fifties. David Warner was the closest with 848 runs from 17 matches.
10. David Warner | IPL 2017
Starting from 2015, David Warner has always been a strong contender for the Orange Cap. In 2017, he regained the Orange Cap after a fabulous season. He dominated like no other in this season despite the pitches being bowling friendly. He scored 641 runs from 14 games at an average of 58 and a strike rate of 142. He registered a century as well and was the one-man army for SRH.
11. Kane Williamson | IPL 2018
Losing David Warner a few days before the IPL 2018 season was a massive blow for SRH. But Kane Williamson took over and played some unbelievable knocks. He made up for the Australian and to an extent, the fans never missed him. In 17 games, Kane Williamson scored 735 runs becoming one of the few players to breach the 700-run mark. He averaged 53 in the season and smashed 8 fifties. His strike rate of 142 that season was a huge revelation.
12. David Warner | IPL 2019
It was the comeback season for David Warner. He hardly played any cricket in the last 12 months before this season. Hence, there were various doubts if he’d be the same kind of player for SRH as he once was. But the left-hander didn’t take too long to burst all those uncertainties. Even though he left early due to the World Cup 2019 and played 2-4 games less than most of the other players, he managed to win the Orange Cap for the third time – becoming the first player to do so. In 12 matches, he scored 692 runs at an average of 69 and a strike rate of 144. He smashed one century and 8 half-centuries in the season and nearly scored 100 runs more than KL Rahul (14 matches) who is next on the list.
