IPL 2018: 5 contenders for the Orange Cap

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) is done and dusted with the retention ceremony and the auction in Bangalore. After speculations and analysis, teams have finally managed to rope in players of their choices and build their sides accordingly. There are several batsmen in various franchises who can be a deciding factor for teams with the willow.

Some of them even have the potential of finishing as the leading run-scorer of the season. The Orange Cap is a prestigious award in the T20 league and there will be several contenders for it throughout the event. In our article, we take a look at the five of the most probable contenders for the winners of the Orange Cap in the eleventh edition of the IPL.

1. David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

David Warner, apart from being a destructive batsman, has carved a reputation for being a responsible batsman. The results have shown off as the Aussie has featured among the leading run-scorers in the previous three seasons for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Quite expectantly, he was retained by the franchise and would again be one of their trump cards in the upcoming edition.

The crown of leadership has rubbed off positively on the Kangaroo as he has racked up runs at a decent rate. Warner is currently representing Australia in the triangular T20 international series where he has led his team to three consecutive victories, a run of form which will keep him in good stead ahead of the Indian domestic T20 extravaganza.

2. Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Virat Kohli is the only cricketer in the Indian Premier League who hasn’t been auctioned yet. He was drafted in by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural season after his Under-19 exploits and has been an integral part of the franchise ever since. The cricketer hasn’t looked back and has only grown in stature with the passage of time.

In the 2016 season, the RCB skipper nearly amassed 1000 runs in a single edition, which marked his dominance over the bowlers. However, he had a lean season for the franchise last time around. Nevertheless, bearing in mind Kohli’s consistency in recent times, he will be a vital factor in order for the franchise to turn their fortunes around in the upcoming season of the tournament.

3. Chris Lynn (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Chis Lynn has emerged as one of the most destructive batsmen in limited overs cricket, especially in the T20 format. The Queenslander has recently notched 100 sixes in the Big Bash League, representing the Brisbane Heat. He was drafted in by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, however, he started getting regular opportunities from the previous season.

To his delight, he hit his straps and smashed bowlers with sheer disdain. He got injured in the initial stages of the last season but came back with some swashbuckling knocks. Eyebrows were raised when he wasn’t retained by the franchise, however, he was grabbed by the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise for a whopping 9.6 crores. Subsequently, he also became the highest grosser among overseas batsmen.

4. Evin Lewis (Mumbai Indians)

Evin Lewis’ exploits with the willow have grabbed the headlines, both in international and domestic cricket. He has effortlessly been among the Windies’ standout batsmen, especially in T20 cricket. The Trinidadian entered the IPL Auction with a base price of INR 1.5 and was expected to be among the most sought-after buys in the tournament.

He fetched INR 3.8 crores from the Mumbai Indians and didn’t set the auction ablaze. However, the left-handed batsman has every chance of entering emerging as the leading run-scorer bearing in mind his ferocity and most crucially, his consistency with the willow. On a batting paradise at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Lewis can turn out to be a force to reckon with for the bowlers.

5. Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)

Suresh Raina has featured among the leading run-scorers in the Indian Premier League ever since the inception of the tournament. He has represented the Chennai Super Kings for eight straight seasons. However, following CSK’s termination for a couple of seasons, he captained the Gujarat Lions and flourished for them as well.

The left-handed batsman has been out of contention for a berth in the Indian team. However, he hasn’t run out of gas by any means as he has shown recently with a swashbuckling century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy. After serving the suspension, CSK is back to grace their presence in the mega event and they started off by retaining Raina who is again expected to be a pivotal element for them.

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