22 May,2023 07:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shubman Gill (Pic: AFP)
After two months of riveting action, the 15th season of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) found its winner. Gujarat Titans, one of the two new teams to join the tournament last season, beat Rajasthan Royals for the third time in the season, by seven wickets to win their maiden IPL trophy. And even while the Royals lost the final, it was two of their players who ultimately won Orange Cap and Purple Cap. One of them, Jos Buttler even ended up winning the Player of the Season award as well as he edged past David Warner for the second-most runs scored by any player in a season.
Interestingly in IPL 2023, most of the top contenders for the Orange Cap have been denied a chance to win after their teams' were eliminated in the league stage. As things stand halfway, there are only five batsmen who can win the Orange Cap in the ongoing edition.
Also Read: 5 teams who bounced back from brink of elimination to qualify for IPL playoffs in past
The players, who were in the run but are out of the playoff race, include Virat Kohli (from RCB), Yashasvi Jaiswal (from RR), David Warner (from DC), Rinku Singh (from KKR), and Heinrich Klaasen (from SRH). Without much ado, let's take a look at the Orange Cap contenders for this season.
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With not one but two consecutive centuries in this tournament, Gill has scored 680 runs so far and outshone legends like Virat Kohli and David Warner in the tournament. He has also scored four 50s and has a strike rate of 152.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper, with 730 runs, is 50 runs ahead of Gill. With a strike rate of 153, Gill scored eight 50s, which is the highest in IPL 2023.
Having scored 504 runs in 14 matches so far, the CSK opener has been one of the most consistent performers in the tournament. Maintaining a strike rate of 148, he has amassed three half-centuries so far in IPL 2023, with the highest score being 92.
Despite struggling with form in the first five innings of the tournament, he picked up in time and registered some of the most devastating knocks against opponents. Despite his poor form in earlier matches, Yadav now has a strike rate of 185, having scored 511 runs so far, with four 50s and one magnificent hundred.
Conway joins teammate Gaikwad here, having scored 585 runs so far with the highest score of 92'. With six 50s, he has a decent strike rate of 138, with an average score of 53.
