Make runs, it is Indian Premier League (IPL) time – is Twenty20’s way of urging the batsmen to make hay while sun shines. Little doubt over the format which is skewed heavily in favour of batsmen, who will once again look to wield their bats to smack the white orb around during the Indian summer.
The 15th edition of the IPL is just around the corner as we look back at orange cap holders in the history of the tournament so far:
2008 – Shaun Marsh, Kings XI Punjab
616 runs at 66.84
The curtain-raising season of the IPL turned out to be a breakthrough year for Australia’s Shaun Marsh. The Western Australian left-handed batsman made quite an impression smashing a century and five half-centuries to light up the league. Marsh scored at healthy strike-rate of 139.68 and went on to carve his name in the orange cap holders list. The success in the IPL saw Marsh make limited overs debut for the national side in the same year.
2009 – Matthew Hayden, Chennai Super Kings
572 runs at 52.00
Matthew Hayden clobbers one out of the ground at The Kingsmead, Durban. AFP
With the IPL moving to South Africa, it wasn’t the best news for the Indian batsmen as only three batsmen finished in the top ten run-scorers, and only only Suresh Raina in top eight. The conditions were exploited perfectly by Aussie great Mathew Hayden. On the back of five scores in excess of 50, the burly opener smashed 572 runs, becoming the second Australian to brag the rights for the orange cap.
2010 – Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai Indians
618 runs at 47.53
Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar became the first Indian to clinch the orange cap. AFP
No surprise there as Sachin Tendulkar went on to become the first Indian to wear the orange cap at the end of the IPL 2010. The year that saw Tendulkar roll back time as he went on to pile a staggering 1562 runs in Tests becoming the highest run scorer in the calendar year. The maestro also became the first male player to score a double century in ODIs. He carried his purple patch and the bat with a bruised sweet spot to clinch top honours in the IPL. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see his team to the title losing to Chennai Super Kings in the finals.
2011 – Chris Gayle, Royal Challengers Bangalore
608 runs at 67.55
Called in as a late replacement for Dirk Nannes, Chris Gayle joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2011 edition, after spending three ordinary years with KKR. Change in franchise resulted in change in fortunes for Gayle in the IPL, one that would be remembered for a long time. The explosive West Indian opener became a crowd favourite at Bangalore for his big-hitting prowess. The Jamaican roared his way to 608 runs from 12 innings including two centuries and three half-centuries.
2012 – Chris Gayle, Royal Challengers Bangalore
733 runs at 61.08
Chris Gayle was the first player to win the orange cap in back-to-back editions .AFP
As if to say his pyrotechnics in 2011 weren’t enough, the ‘Gaylestrom’ struck twice in the IPL for the second year in a row. Gayle’s brilliance saw him earn a full contract with RCB ahead of the fourth edition. Gayle breached the 700-run mark to script his name in the annals of IPL. Gayle’s reputation as power-hitter reached its crescendo in 2012. The juggernaut hammered one ton and seven fifties in the season.
2013 – Michael Hussey, Chennai Super kings
733 runs at 52.35
Michael Hussey pipped ‘Universe Boss’ by 25 runs to claim the orange cap and halt Gayle from completing a hat-trick of the coveted prize at the end of the 2013 edition. Mr Cricket reiterated that age was no bar even in the youngest format of cricket, as the opener played an instrumental role in Chennai’s campaign with the team falling agonisingly short of the title in the finals. Hussey went on to slam six half-centuries in the season.
2014 – Robin Uthappa, Kolkata Knight Riders
660 runs at 44.00
Robin Uthappa’s consistency in the seventh edition bore fruit as he topped the run charts in 2014 including a string of eight 40+ scores and five fifties. Uthappa became only the second Indian to win the Orange cap scoring. He forged a formidable opening combination with skipper Gautam Gambhir that inspired Kolkata Knight Riders to their second IPL title.
2015 – David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad
562 runs at 43.23
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner became the fourth Australian finish as the leading run scorer in an IPL edition. Sportzpics
David Warner set the stage ablaze racking up seven half-centuries as he went on to compile 562 runs in the 2015 season. Another Australian, another left-hander to feature on the top run-scorers list. The diminutive dynamo along with Shikhar Dhawan formed a robust alliance at the top of the order for the Sunrisers, but couldn’t catapult their team to the play-offs as they finished sixth with 14 points in the eighth edition.
2016 – Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bangalore
973 runs at 81.08
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli batted like he was possessed in the 2016 edition. Sportzpics
Nobody besides Kohli deserved to don the orange cap at the end of 2016 season. Like he so often does in International cricket, the RCB captain went on shatter one record after the other. Kohli’s appetite for runs saw him finish with Bradmanesque numbers with 973 runs in 16 games that were scored at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 152.03 including four centuries – the most in a season – and seven fifties.
The numbers will stand the test of time and if there is anybody who can scale down the colossal figures set by Indian captain, it will most likely be the man himself.
2017 – David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad
646 runs at 58.27
Not difficult to fathom as to why Warner is rated so highly in the IPL and why he is the vital cog in the Hyderabad side. Despite amassing 848 runs in the ninth IPL season, Warner fell 125 runs short of.. who else, but Kohli. However, southpaw smashed 646 runs the following year and won his second orange cap in the space of three years. Unfortunately for Sunrisers Hyderabad, they will be without their talismanic opener for the upcoming season as he serves the yearlong ban that was handed to him for his involvement in ball tampering scandal in the third Test in South Africa by Cricket Australia.
2018 — Kane Williamson, Sunrisers Hyderabad
735 runs at 52.50
Kane Williamson led the Sunrisers Hyderabad from the front after Warner had stepped down from the position due to the ball-tampering scandal that took place a month before the 2018 edition kicked off.
The New Zealand skipper was at his fluent best throughout the season, collecting 735 runs at an average of 52.50, slamming eight half-centuries along the way. His contributions with the bat, along with vital performances from the bowling unit, helped the then-defending champions reach the final for a second season running, before they were vanquished by Chennai Super Kings.
2019 — David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad
692 runs at 69.20
The third time the Australian southpaw finds a mention in the list, and the fourth the time in the last five editions that a Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman has won the coveted ‘Orange Cap’. Warner has undoubtedly played a huge part in the team’s resurgence in recent years, with the Sunrisers reaching the playoffs in each edition since 2016.
The 2019 IPL saw David Warner amass 692 runs from 12 matches at a stunning average of 69.20. Sportzpics
The 2019 IPL saw Warner amass 692 runs from 12 matches at a stunning average of 69.20, smashing eighth half-centuries and an unbeaten 100 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their third outing of the group stage — a game that is mainly remembered for the 185-run opening stand between Warner and Jonny Bairstow (114).
Warner, however, had to leave the SRH camp to join his Australia teammates to prepare for the World Cup campaign at the end of April, leaving the 2016 champions all the poorer for the remainder of their campaign. Sunrisers lost their last two group games (one in a super over), before losing to Delhi Capitals in the Eliminator by two wickets.
2020 — KL Rahul, Kings XI Punjab
670 runs at 55.83
KXIP skipper KL Rahul, the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2020, was in a league of his own. His team failed to make the playoffs, and despite playing only 14 matches, the right-hander amassed 670 runs. Sample this: The in-form Shikhar Dhawan, second only to Rahul, played three more matches and yet, finished with 618 runs. Averaging 55.83, the stylish right-hander set lofty standards with the bat, both for his teammates and opponents. His best knock – 132 off 69 balls against RCB – was also the highest individual score of IPL 2020.
2021–Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clinched a fourth IPL title in the 2021 edition, inching closer to Mumbai Indians’ record of five, and most of the damage for CSK with the bat was done by Ruturaj Gaikwad. He amassed 635 runs from 16 matches last season at a strike-rate of 136.26, and came out on top of the batters’ charts after a close competition with then CSK teammate Faf du Plessis (633 runs from 16 matches).
Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings celebrates his fifty against Mumbai Indians. Image: SPORTZPICS for BCCI
The 25-year-old’s 101* against Rajasthan Royals was the fourth highest individual score in an innings last season, behind Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Devdutt Padikkal.
Gaikwad’s run tally of 635 was also a significant improvement from the 204 runs he scored in the 2020 edition. His stellar performance with the bat saw him being retained by CSK for the upcoming season, along with skipper MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali.
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