Following the postponement of the T20 Cricket World Cup, the BCCI is clear to host the IPL later this year. The IPL was scheduled to begin at March 29th but because of the ongoing global pandemic, the tournament had to be postponed. Although the dates of the money-minting T20 extravaganza are yet to be announced, it is reported that the tournament will begin on 26th September and the final will be played during the first or second week of November.

One thing that is clear is that the tournament will be hosted in UAE. This step has to be taken because some of the major Indian cities such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-which-mumbai-indians-mi-produced-for-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mumbai </a>and Pune are marked as red zones amid COVID-19 pandemic. UAE, on the other hand, is largely safe from the novel coronavirus.

Moreover, UAE has hosted the IPL earlier in 2014 when general elections were held in India. The only difference this time will be that UAE will have the privilege to host the entire tournament, unlike in 2014 when they hosted only the first half of the tournament.

T20 is such a format where batsmen are very important. You can have the best bowler in the world but he can only bowl 20 per cent of the overs. If you have one or two of the best batsmen in the world, they can bat the entire innings if they are in form and take the match completely away from the opponents. Although this doesn&#8217;t work always, as bowlers are as important as batsmen. But, no side has won the IPL with a weak batting line up.

Certain teams such as KXIP benefited due to the conditions in UAE as Australia maverick Glenn Maxwell played brilliantly in those conditions. Overseas stars will prefer playing on the UAE pitches which don&#8217;t offer much help to the spinners. Indian players, on the hand, might find it slightly hard as they have historically been performing better on home soil. On that note, let&#8217;s look at five players who can emerge as top run-getters in the cash-rich league this year.

Here&#8217;s the list comprising five batsmen:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334322" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-RCB.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334322" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption>

Virat Kohli is the all-time top scorer in the IPL. He has played 16 matches less than Raina, who is on second place with 5368 runs. Kohli has scored 5412 runs in 177 matches and he is one of the few players in IPL to have represented only one team&#8211; Royal Challengers Bangalore&#8211; since the inception of the tournament. Kohli will look to bounce back this season after scoring 464 runs last season, which is average by his standards.

Kohli is an absolute run-machine. He has more than 20,000 runs for India in all formats of the game including 70 centuries. Kohli is the most feared batsman in the world. He has the ability to make any target seem achievable and that quality of his makes him stand out when compared to others. He is currently ranked 1, 2 and 10 in ODI, Test and T20Is respectively. Of his 5412 runs in the IPL, 5 have been centuries which is just 1 short of the record held by his former teammate <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/first-of-all-you-shouldnt-bowl-to-him-ms-dhonis-hilarious-advise-to-shahbaz-nadeem-to-tackle-chris-gayle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chris Gayle</a>.

Kohli has often found himself acting as a lone warrior or at-most being involved in a two-man show for RCB in the IPL. This is largely due to the fact that the franchise has had its long-lasting issues when it comes to bowling. Moreover, their lower middle order hasn&#8217;t been able to finish games, which puts a lot of pressure on Kohli and AB De Villiers.

The closest RCB have ever come to winning the IPL title was in 2016 when they lost in the final to SRH. That season, King Kohli scored 973 runs which obviously won him the Orange Cap. This included 4 fantastic centuries and RCB will hope he has another season to remember.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339291" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-1.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339291" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

The South African wicketkeeper-batsman seems to finally find an ideal team for him, having previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Before signing for Mumbai Indians, de Kock really had only 1 fruitful season out of his 5 seasons in the IPL. He was purchased by Mumbai Indians to replace <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/west-indies-drop-shimron-hetmyer-and-evin-lewis-for-sri-lanka-odis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Evin Lewis </a>at the top of the order and he managed to do it with style. De Kock scored 529 runs in his first season with the Mumbai Indians.

This selection would go wrong so easily if Mumbai Indians decide to play Chris Lynn instead of de Kock. However, on the basis of the South African&#8217;s batting as well as keeping exploits, he probably will get a nod ahead of Lynn.

Another possibility is both of them playing together which will be a nightmare for any bowler, especially when you consider <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rohit-sharma-wishes-indias-greatest-national-treasure-yuzvendra-chahal-on-30th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a> will be coming 1 down. De Kock was instrumental in Mumbai Indian&#8217;s 4th IPL title as he was their top scorer and most consistent batsman. He scored 4 half-centuries as Mumbai powered their way to the final.

The talented batsman has scored 1 century in his IPL career, which came in 2016 during his stint at Delhi Daredevils. He scored 445 runs in 13 games with an impressive average of 37.08. De Kock is neither an all nor nothing batsman like Gayle, nor a batsman who can play the role of an anchor like Rahane.

He is able to change gears according to situations. The proof of the hype surrounding him is proved when you find out that he is ranked in the top 15 batsmen in all forms of the game. Mumbai Indians will again bank on him to get them off to a good start.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-145206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell-KXIP.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145206" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Glenn Maxwell was one of the most sought after player heading into the auction and was bought by Kings XI Punjab for a whopping 10.75 crore INR after an intense bidding war with Delhi Capitals. He became the second most expensive buy in this edition&#8217;s auction, second only to his Aussie compatriot Pat Cummins.

Notably, this will be his second stint with KXIP in IPL after having already played for Preity Zinta&#8217;s co-owned side from 2014 to 2017. He has also represented both, the Delhi Daredevils and the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/aakash-chopra-picks-his-all-time-delhi-capitals-daredevils-xi-in-ipl-names-virender-sehwag-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals </a>and Mumbai Indians, for whom he was a benchwarmer during their IPL triumph in 2013.

Maxwell is known for his power-hitting in the short form of the game. He will play the role of a finisher in this KXIP lineup. He is one of the best fielders in the world and can also contribute with his off-break bowling if required.  Unlike the other players in this list, he hasn&#8217;t had great seasons recently. He has only managed to cross the 200 run mark on a solitary occasion in the last four seasons which is abysmal considering he is one of the most expensive players in the IPL.

But it is interesting to note that when the IPL was played in UAE in 2014, Maxwell absolutely popped off. He was the main reason why Kings XI Punjab reached the finals that season and it was not only his but also the team&#8217;s best-ever performance in IPL history.

Overall, he scored 552 runs in 16 games with a blistering strike rate of 187.75. If his form wouldn&#8217;t have dropped on Indian pitches, they could have easily won the title. But as the whole season is bound to take place in UAE, KXIP will hope Maxwell carries them to their maiden IPL trophy.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-328386" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-hundred-celebration.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-328386" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption>

Another Australian big hitter who could easily win the Orange Cap this season is David Warner. If showing consistency in IPL is an art, then David Warner is the Picasso of it. Warner boasts a gigantic average of 43.17, which also comes at a high strike rate of 142.39. The southpaw has scored 4706 runs in 126 matches. Just like de Kock and Maxwell, Warner has also played for Delhi Daredevils.

Since joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014, he has been exceptional, to say the least. He has scored 500+ runs in each and every season for SRH except in 2018 due to the ban imposed on him for being involved in ball-tampering.

Following his ban and the departure of opening partner <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-the-indian-flag-soaring-with-pride-yuvraj-singh-shikhar-dhawan-wish-smriti-mandhana-on-her-24th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shikhar Dhawan</a>, everyone thought Warner wouldn&#8217;t be as good as before but Warner turned his doubters into believers by scoring 692 runs at an unbelievable average of 69.20. He also managed to score an unbeaten century, which took his ton tally to 4.

He is not only a great batsman but has great leadership skills and is an extremely athletic fielder. Warner is the highest scoring overseas player in the IPL and apart from Chris Gayle, is the only player to feature in the top 10 list of run-scorers after having played less than 150 matches. He also holds the record for the most number of half-centuries.

Just like his Aussie teammate Maxwell, Warner will also enjoy batting on the UAE pitches. SRH haven&#8217;t won a title since their 2016 glory and Warner and co will want to change that. The left-hander has the enviable distinction of being an IPL season top-scorer on three occasions, winning the coveted cap in 2015, 2017 and 2019. It will be interesting to see if Warner can transfer his flashy moves on TikTok and produce another memorable season whilst donning the orange jersey.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339187" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339187" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption>

Lokesh Rahul has been in scintillating form for KXIP in the last two seasons. The classy opener has become KXIP&#8217;s highest run-scorer among Indian batsmen in just a couple of seasons with the Kings XI Punjab. KL Rahul is currently 2nd in the batsmen rankings for T20 Internationals.

He holds the record for the fastest half-century, which he scored against Mumbai Indians in just 14 deliveries against Delhi Daredevils. He came into the limelight after a successful 2016 campaign which saw RCB finish as runners up.

Rahul, who joined KXIP from RCB in 2018, has aggregated 1252 runs for the Mohali-based team. These runs have come at an average of 54.43 and a strike rate of 146.60, which shows both his consistency and power-hitting ability. He will also be keeping wickets for the KXIP and following Ashwin&#8217;s move to the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-could-be-played-in-35-to-37-days-by-scheduling-double-headers-delhi-capitals-ceo-dhiraj-malhotra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals</a>, he will also be captaining KXIP for the first time in his career. But this probably wouldn&#8217;t affect the batting side of his game.

After having two outstanding seasons for Kings XI Punjab, Rahul will want to continue his rich vein of form. Following his exploits at the 2019 World Cup, he will also be vying to stake his claim as the Indian team&#8217;s first choice partner to Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Seeing how consistent and dependable he has been for KXIP in the past few IPL campaigns, we see no reason why KL Rahul can&#8217;t challenge for the Orange Cap this season.

Following the postponement of the T20 Cricket World Cup, the BCCI is clear to host the IPL later this year. The IPL was scheduled to begin at March 29th but because of the ongoing global pandemic, the tournament had to be postponed. Although the dates of the money-minting T20 extravaganza are yet to be announced, it is reported that the tournament will begin on 26th September and the final will be played during the first or second week of November.
One thing that is clear is that the tournament will be hosted in UAE. This step has to be taken because some of the major Indian cities such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-which-mumbai-indians-mi-produced-for-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mumbai </a>and Pune are marked as red zones amid COVID-19 pandemic. UAE, on the other hand, is largely safe from the novel coronavirus.
Moreover, UAE has hosted the IPL earlier in 2014 when general elections were held in India. The only difference this time will be that UAE will have the privilege to host the entire tournament, unlike in 2014 when they hosted only the first half of the tournament.
T20 is such a format where batsmen are very important. You can have the best bowler in the world but he can only bowl 20 per cent of the overs. If you have one or two of the best batsmen in the world, they can bat the entire innings if they are in form and take the match completely away from the opponents. Although this doesn’t work always, as bowlers are as important as batsmen. But, no side has won the IPL with a weak batting line up.
Certain teams such as KXIP benefited due to the conditions in UAE as Australia maverick Glenn Maxwell played brilliantly in those conditions. Overseas stars will prefer playing on the UAE pitches which don’t offer much help to the spinners. Indian players, on the hand, might find it slightly hard as they have historically been performing better on home soil. On that note, let’s look at five players who can emerge as top run-getters in the cash-rich league this year.
Here’s the list comprising five batsmen:
<h3>1. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334322" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334322" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-334322" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-RCB.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334322" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Virat Kohli is the all-time top scorer in the IPL. He has played 16 matches less than Raina, who is on second place with 5368 runs. Kohli has scored 5412 runs in 177 matches and he is one of the few players in IPL to have represented only one team– Royal Challengers Bangalore– since the inception of the tournament. Kohli will look to bounce back this season after scoring 464 runs last season, which is average by his standards.
Kohli is an absolute run-machine. He has more than 20,000 runs for India in all formats of the game including 70 centuries. Kohli is the most feared batsman in the world. He has the ability to make any target seem achievable and that quality of his makes him stand out when compared to others. He is currently ranked 1, 2 and 10 in ODI, Test and T20Is respectively. Of his 5412 runs in the IPL, 5 have been centuries which is just 1 short of the record held by his former teammate <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/first-of-all-you-shouldnt-bowl-to-him-ms-dhonis-hilarious-advise-to-shahbaz-nadeem-to-tackle-chris-gayle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chris Gayle</a>.
Kohli has often found himself acting as a lone warrior or at-most being involved in a two-man show for RCB in the IPL. This is largely due to the fact that the franchise has had its long-lasting issues when it comes to bowling. Moreover, their lower middle order hasn’t been able to finish games, which puts a lot of pressure on Kohli and AB De Villiers.
The closest RCB have ever come to winning the IPL title was in 2016 when they lost in the final to SRH. That season, King Kohli scored 973 runs which obviously won him the Orange Cap. This included 4 fantastic centuries and RCB will hope he has another season to remember.

<h3>2. Quinton de Kock</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339291" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339291" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339291" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-1.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339291" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The South African wicketkeeper-batsman seems to finally find an ideal team for him, having previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Before signing for Mumbai Indians, de Kock really had only 1 fruitful season out of his 5 seasons in the IPL. He was purchased by Mumbai Indians to replace <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/west-indies-drop-shimron-hetmyer-and-evin-lewis-for-sri-lanka-odis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Evin Lewis </a>at the top of the order and he managed to do it with style. De Kock scored 529 runs in his first season with the Mumbai Indians.
This selection would go wrong so easily if Mumbai Indians decide to play Chris Lynn instead of de Kock. However, on the basis of the South African’s batting as well as keeping exploits, he probably will get a nod ahead of Lynn.
Another possibility is both of them playing together which will be a nightmare for any bowler, especially when you consider <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rohit-sharma-wishes-indias-greatest-national-treasure-yuzvendra-chahal-on-30th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a> will be coming 1 down. De Kock was instrumental in Mumbai Indian’s 4th IPL title as he was their top scorer and most consistent batsman. He scored 4 half-centuries as Mumbai powered their way to the final.
The talented batsman has scored 1 century in his IPL career, which came in 2016 during his stint at Delhi Daredevils. He scored 445 runs in 13 games with an impressive average of 37.08. De Kock is neither an all nor nothing batsman like Gayle, nor a batsman who can play the role of an anchor like Rahane.
He is able to change gears according to situations. The proof of the hype surrounding him is proved when you find out that he is ranked in the top 15 batsmen in all forms of the game. Mumbai Indians will again bank on him to get them off to a good start.

<h3>3. Glenn Maxwell</h3>
<figure id="attachment_145206" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-145206" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-145206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell-KXIP.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145206" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Glenn Maxwell was one of the most sought after player heading into the auction and was bought by Kings XI Punjab for a whopping 10.75 crore INR after an intense bidding war with Delhi Capitals. He became the second most expensive buy in this edition’s auction, second only to his Aussie compatriot Pat Cummins.
Notably, this will be his second stint with KXIP in IPL after having already played for Preity Zinta’s co-owned side from 2014 to 2017. He has also represented both, the Delhi Daredevils and the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/aakash-chopra-picks-his-all-time-delhi-capitals-daredevils-xi-in-ipl-names-virender-sehwag-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals </a>and Mumbai Indians, for whom he was a benchwarmer during their IPL triumph in 2013.
Maxwell is known for his power-hitting in the short form of the game. He will play the role of a finisher in this KXIP lineup. He is one of the best fielders in the world and can also contribute with his off-break bowling if required.&nbsp; Unlike the other players in this list, he hasn’t had great seasons recently. He has only managed to cross the 200 run mark on a solitary occasion in the last four seasons which is abysmal considering he is one of the most expensive players in the IPL.
But it is interesting to note that when the IPL was played in UAE in 2014, Maxwell absolutely popped off. He was the main reason why Kings XI Punjab reached the finals that season and it was not only his but also the team’s best-ever performance in IPL history.
Overall, he scored 552 runs in 16 games with a blistering strike rate of 187.75. If his form wouldn’t have dropped on Indian pitches, they could have easily won the title. But as the whole season is bound to take place in UAE, KXIP will hope Maxwell carries them to their maiden IPL trophy.

<h3>4. David Warner</h3>
<figure id="attachment_328386" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-328386" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-328386" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-hundred-celebration.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-328386" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Another Australian big hitter who could easily win the Orange Cap this season is David Warner. If showing consistency in IPL is an art, then David Warner is the Picasso of it. Warner boasts a gigantic average of 43.17, which also comes at a high strike rate of 142.39. The southpaw has scored 4706 runs in 126 matches. Just like de Kock and Maxwell, Warner has also played for Delhi Daredevils.
Since joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014, he has been exceptional, to say the least. He has scored 500+ runs in each and every season for SRH except in 2018 due to the ban imposed on him for being involved in ball-tampering.
Following his ban and the departure of opening partner <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-the-indian-flag-soaring-with-pride-yuvraj-singh-shikhar-dhawan-wish-smriti-mandhana-on-her-24th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shikhar Dhawan</a>, everyone thought Warner wouldn’t be as good as before but Warner turned his doubters into believers by scoring 692 runs at an unbelievable average of 69.20. He also managed to score an unbeaten century, which took his ton tally to 4.
He is not only a great batsman but has great leadership skills and is an extremely athletic fielder. Warner is the highest scoring overseas player in the IPL and apart from Chris Gayle, is the only player to feature in the top 10 list of run-scorers after having played less than 150 matches. He also holds the record for the most number of half-centuries.
Just like his Aussie teammate Maxwell, Warner will also enjoy batting on the UAE pitches. SRH haven’t won a title since their 2016 glory and Warner and co will want to change that. The left-hander has the enviable distinction of being an IPL season top-scorer on three occasions, winning the coveted cap in 2015, 2017 and 2019. It will be interesting to see if Warner can transfer his flashy moves on TikTok and produce another memorable season whilst donning the orange jersey.

<h3>5. KL Rahul</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339187" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339187" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-339187" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339187" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Lokesh Rahul has been in scintillating form for KXIP in the last two seasons. The classy opener has become KXIP’s highest run-scorer among Indian batsmen in just a couple of seasons with the Kings XI Punjab. KL Rahul is currently 2nd in the batsmen rankings for T20 Internationals.
He holds the record for the fastest half-century, which he scored against Mumbai Indians in just 14 deliveries against Delhi Daredevils. He came into the limelight after a successful 2016 campaign which saw RCB finish as runners up.
Rahul, who joined KXIP from RCB in 2018, has aggregated 1252 runs for the Mohali-based team. These runs have come at an average of 54.43 and a strike rate of 146.60, which shows both his consistency and power-hitting ability. He will also be keeping wickets for the KXIP and following Ashwin’s move to the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-could-be-played-in-35-to-37-days-by-scheduling-double-headers-delhi-capitals-ceo-dhiraj-malhotra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals</a>, he will also be captaining KXIP for the first time in his career. But this probably wouldn’t affect the batting side of his game.
After having two outstanding seasons for Kings XI Punjab, Rahul will want to continue his rich vein of form. Following his exploits at the 2019 World Cup, he will also be vying to stake his claim as the Indian team’s first choice partner to Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Seeing how consistent and dependable he has been for KXIP in the past few IPL campaigns, we see no reason why KL Rahul can’t challenge for the Orange Cap this season.

Following the postponement of the T20 Cricket World Cup, the BCCI is clear to host the IPL later this year. The IPL was scheduled to begin at March 29th but because of the ongoing global pandemic, the tournament had to be postponed. Although the dates of the money-minting T20 extravaganza are yet to be announced, it is reported that the tournament will begin on 26th September and the final will be played during the first or second week of November.
One thing that is clear is that the tournament will be hosted in UAE. This step has to be taken because some of the major Indian cities such as <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-which-mumbai-indians-mi-produced-for-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mumbai </a>and Pune are marked as red zones amid COVID-19 pandemic. UAE, on the other hand, is largely safe from the novel coronavirus.
Moreover, UAE has hosted the IPL earlier in 2014 when general elections were held in India. The only difference this time will be that UAE will have the privilege to host the entire tournament, unlike in 2014 when they hosted only the first half of the tournament.
T20 is such a format where batsmen are very important. You can have the best bowler in the world but he can only bowl 20 per cent of the overs. If you have one or two of the best batsmen in the world, they can bat the entire innings if they are in form and take the match completely away from the opponents. Although this doesn&#8217;t work always, as bowlers are as important as batsmen. But, no side has won the IPL with a weak batting line up.
Certain teams such as KXIP benefited due to the conditions in UAE as Australia maverick Glenn Maxwell played brilliantly in those conditions. Overseas stars will prefer playing on the UAE pitches which don&#8217;t offer much help to the spinners. Indian players, on the hand, might find it slightly hard as they have historically been performing better on home soil. On that note, let&#8217;s look at five players who can emerge as top run-getters in the cash-rich league this year.
Here&#8217;s the list comprising five batsmen:
<h3>1. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure id="attachment_334322" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-334322" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-334322" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-RCB.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-334322" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Virat Kohli is the all-time top scorer in the IPL. He has played 16 matches less than Raina, who is on second place with 5368 runs. Kohli has scored 5412 runs in 177 matches and he is one of the few players in IPL to have represented only one team&#8211; Royal Challengers Bangalore&#8211; since the inception of the tournament. Kohli will look to bounce back this season after scoring 464 runs last season, which is average by his standards.
Kohli is an absolute run-machine. He has more than 20,000 runs for India in all formats of the game including 70 centuries. Kohli is the most feared batsman in the world. He has the ability to make any target seem achievable and that quality of his makes him stand out when compared to others. He is currently ranked 1, 2 and 10 in ODI, Test and T20Is respectively. Of his 5412 runs in the IPL, 5 have been centuries which is just 1 short of the record held by his former teammate <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/first-of-all-you-shouldnt-bowl-to-him-ms-dhonis-hilarious-advise-to-shahbaz-nadeem-to-tackle-chris-gayle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chris Gayle</a>.
Kohli has often found himself acting as a lone warrior or at-most being involved in a two-man show for RCB in the IPL. This is largely due to the fact that the franchise has had its long-lasting issues when it comes to bowling. Moreover, their lower middle order hasn&#8217;t been able to finish games, which puts a lot of pressure on Kohli and AB De Villiers.
The closest RCB have ever come to winning the IPL title was in 2016 when they lost in the final to SRH. That season, King Kohli scored 973 runs which obviously won him the Orange Cap. This included 4 fantastic centuries and RCB will hope he has another season to remember.

<h3>2. Quinton de Kock</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339291" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339291" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339291" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-1.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339291" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The South African wicketkeeper-batsman seems to finally find an ideal team for him, having previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Before signing for Mumbai Indians, de Kock really had only 1 fruitful season out of his 5 seasons in the IPL. He was purchased by Mumbai Indians to replace <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/west-indies-drop-shimron-hetmyer-and-evin-lewis-for-sri-lanka-odis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Evin Lewis </a>at the top of the order and he managed to do it with style. De Kock scored 529 runs in his first season with the Mumbai Indians.
This selection would go wrong so easily if Mumbai Indians decide to play Chris Lynn instead of de Kock. However, on the basis of the South African&#8217;s batting as well as keeping exploits, he probably will get a nod ahead of Lynn.
Another possibility is both of them playing together which will be a nightmare for any bowler, especially when you consider <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rohit-sharma-wishes-indias-greatest-national-treasure-yuzvendra-chahal-on-30th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rohit Sharma</a> will be coming 1 down. De Kock was instrumental in Mumbai Indian&#8217;s 4th IPL title as he was their top scorer and most consistent batsman. He scored 4 half-centuries as Mumbai powered their way to the final.
The talented batsman has scored 1 century in his IPL career, which came in 2016 during his stint at Delhi Daredevils. He scored 445 runs in 13 games with an impressive average of 37.08. De Kock is neither an all nor nothing batsman like Gayle, nor a batsman who can play the role of an anchor like Rahane.
He is able to change gears according to situations. The proof of the hype surrounding him is proved when you find out that he is ranked in the top 15 batsmen in all forms of the game. Mumbai Indians will again bank on him to get them off to a good start.

<h3>3. Glenn Maxwell</h3>
<figure id="attachment_145206" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-145206" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-145206" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Glenn-Maxwell-KXIP.jpg" alt="Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145206" class="wp-caption-text">Glenn Maxwell of Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Glenn Maxwell was one of the most sought after player heading into the auction and was bought by Kings XI Punjab for a whopping 10.75 crore INR after an intense bidding war with Delhi Capitals. He became the second most expensive buy in this edition&#8217;s auction, second only to his Aussie compatriot Pat Cummins.
Notably, this will be his second stint with KXIP in IPL after having already played for Preity Zinta&#8217;s co-owned side from 2014 to 2017. He has also represented both, the Delhi Daredevils and the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/aakash-chopra-picks-his-all-time-delhi-capitals-daredevils-xi-in-ipl-names-virender-sehwag-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals </a>and Mumbai Indians, for whom he was a benchwarmer during their IPL triumph in 2013.
Maxwell is known for his power-hitting in the short form of the game. He will play the role of a finisher in this KXIP lineup. He is one of the best fielders in the world and can also contribute with his off-break bowling if required.  Unlike the other players in this list, he hasn&#8217;t had great seasons recently. He has only managed to cross the 200 run mark on a solitary occasion in the last four seasons which is abysmal considering he is one of the most expensive players in the IPL.
But it is interesting to note that when the IPL was played in UAE in 2014, Maxwell absolutely popped off. He was the main reason why Kings XI Punjab reached the finals that season and it was not only his but also the team&#8217;s best-ever performance in IPL history.
Overall, he scored 552 runs in 16 games with a blistering strike rate of 187.75. If his form wouldn&#8217;t have dropped on Indian pitches, they could have easily won the title. But as the whole season is bound to take place in UAE, KXIP will hope Maxwell carries them to their maiden IPL trophy.

<h3>4. David Warner</h3>
<figure id="attachment_328386" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-328386" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-328386" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-hundred-celebration.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-328386" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Another Australian big hitter who could easily win the Orange Cap this season is David Warner. If showing consistency in IPL is an art, then David Warner is the Picasso of it. Warner boasts a gigantic average of 43.17, which also comes at a high strike rate of 142.39. The southpaw has scored 4706 runs in 126 matches. Just like de Kock and Maxwell, Warner has also played for Delhi Daredevils.
Since joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014, he has been exceptional, to say the least. He has scored 500+ runs in each and every season for SRH except in 2018 due to the ban imposed on him for being involved in ball-tampering.
Following his ban and the departure of opening partner <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/keep-the-indian-flag-soaring-with-pride-yuvraj-singh-shikhar-dhawan-wish-smriti-mandhana-on-her-24th-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shikhar Dhawan</a>, everyone thought Warner wouldn&#8217;t be as good as before but Warner turned his doubters into believers by scoring 692 runs at an unbelievable average of 69.20. He also managed to score an unbeaten century, which took his ton tally to 4.
He is not only a great batsman but has great leadership skills and is an extremely athletic fielder. Warner is the highest scoring overseas player in the IPL and apart from Chris Gayle, is the only player to feature in the top 10 list of run-scorers after having played less than 150 matches. He also holds the record for the most number of half-centuries.
Just like his Aussie teammate Maxwell, Warner will also enjoy batting on the UAE pitches. SRH haven&#8217;t won a title since their 2016 glory and Warner and co will want to change that. The left-hander has the enviable distinction of being an IPL season top-scorer on three occasions, winning the coveted cap in 2015, 2017 and 2019. It will be interesting to see if Warner can transfer his flashy moves on TikTok and produce another memorable season whilst donning the orange jersey.

<h3>5. KL Rahul</h3>
<figure id="attachment_339187" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-339187" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-339187" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-339187" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)</figcaption></figure>
Lokesh Rahul has been in scintillating form for KXIP in the last two seasons. The classy opener has become KXIP&#8217;s highest run-scorer among Indian batsmen in just a couple of seasons with the Kings XI Punjab. KL Rahul is currently 2nd in the batsmen rankings for T20 Internationals.
He holds the record for the fastest half-century, which he scored against Mumbai Indians in just 14 deliveries against Delhi Daredevils. He came into the limelight after a successful 2016 campaign which saw RCB finish as runners up.
Rahul, who joined KXIP from RCB in 2018, has aggregated 1252 runs for the Mohali-based team. These runs have come at an average of 54.43 and a strike rate of 146.60, which shows both his consistency and power-hitting ability. He will also be keeping wickets for the KXIP and following Ashwin&#8217;s move to the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-could-be-played-in-35-to-37-days-by-scheduling-double-headers-delhi-capitals-ceo-dhiraj-malhotra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi Capitals</a>, he will also be captaining KXIP for the first time in his career. But this probably wouldn&#8217;t affect the batting side of his game.
After having two outstanding seasons for Kings XI Punjab, Rahul will want to continue his rich vein of form. Following his exploits at the 2019 World Cup, he will also be vying to stake his claim as the Indian team&#8217;s first choice partner to Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Seeing how consistent and dependable he has been for KXIP in the past few IPL campaigns, we see no reason why KL Rahul can&#8217;t challenge for the Orange Cap this season.

T20 is such a format where batsmen are very important. You can have the best bowler in the world but he can only bowl 20 per cent of the overs.

Predicting top 5 run-scorers of IPL 2020 in UAE

IPL is where batsmen are very important. You can have the best bowler in the world but he can only bowl 20 per cent of the overs.