The race for the Orange Cap, awarded to the IPL's leading run-scorer, has seen some movement after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) versus Rajasthan Royals' (RR) IPL 2024 match. RR's star batter Riyan Parag rocketed up the leaderboard after his blistering 77-run knock off just 49 balls against SRH on May 2. Despite his efforts, RR fell just short in their chase. Parag's half-century has bumped Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul down to fifth place. Rishabh Pant, who was previously in contention, has fallen out of the top five altogether. Rahul had previously played a well-paced knock of 76 runs off 48 balls against Rajasthan Royals on April 27th, but Parag's recent exploits overshadowed his performance. Meanwhile, the young talent from Gujarat Titans, Sai Sudharsan, continues to impress and holds onto the third position. In his last match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 28th, Sudharsan smashed a quickfire 84 runs off just 49 balls.
At the top of the leaderboard, the battle remains fierce. Royal Challengers Bangalore's Virat Kohli maintains his second-place position, while Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to reign supreme. Gaikwad solidified his lead with a solid 62 off 48 balls against Punjab Kings on May 1st. Notably, this knock made him the second batsman after Kohli to cross the prestigious 500-run mark in the ongoing IPL season.
Here is the updated list of batters who are in Orange Cap race after SRH vs RR encounter:
- 1. Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK): Despite the captaincy burden, Gaikwad has been phenomenal with the bat. He leads the pack with a staggering 509 runs in just 10 matches, boasting a strike rate of 146.68. His tally includes four well-compiled fifties and a match-winning century.
2. Virat Kohli (RCB): The "King" is back in form! Kohli has rediscovered his touch, scoring a prolific 500 runs in 10 matches at an impressive strike rate of 147.49. Like Gaikwad, Kohli has also notched four half-centuries and a brilliant century.
3. Sai Sudharsan (GT): This young talent from Tamil Nadu is turning heads. Sudharsan has amassed 418 runs in 10 matches, maintaining a healthy strike rate of 135.71. He's already proven his mettle with two impressive fifties.
4. Riyan Parag (RR): After facing criticism in previous seasons, Parag has silenced his doubters. Promoted to the middle order, he's exploded with 409 runs in 10 matches. His aggressive approach is evident in his blistering strike rate of 159.14, and he's already slammed four crucial half-centuries.
5. KL Rahul (LSG): The LSG skipper started strong with a fifty in his first match. After a brief dip in form, Rahul has regained his touch, providing crucial starts at the top of the order. He's currently sitting on 406 runs in 10 matches with a strike rate of 142.95, including three well-timed fifties.
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | S/R |
| 1 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK | 10 | 509 | 63.63 | 146.66 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | RCB | 10 | 500 | 71.42 | 147.49 |
| 3 | Sai Sudharshan | GT | 10 | 418 | 46.44 | 135.71 |
| 4 | Riyan Parag | RR | 10 | 409 | 58.43 | 159.14 |
| 5 | KL Rahul | LSG | 10 | 406 | 40.6 | 142.95 |
| 6 | Rishabh Pant | DC | 11 | 398 | 44.22 | 158.56 |
| 7 | Travis Head | SRH | 9 | 396 | 44.00 | 194.11 |
| 8 | Phil Salt | KKR | 9 | 392 | 49 | 180.64 |
| 9 | Sanju Samson | RR | 9 | 385 | 77 | 161.08 |
| 10 | Sunil Narine | KKR | 9 | 372 | 41.33 | 182.35 |
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