After the nail-biting contest between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI), the race for the IPL 2024 Orange Cap, awarded to the tournament's leading run-scorer, has intensified. Mumbai Indians (MI) opening batsman and ex-captain Rohit Sharma has stormed into the top three of the Orange Cap leaderboard following a 36-run performance off 25 balls against Punjab Kings (PBKS). With this knock, Rohit Sharma overtook Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Sunil Narine, who previously held third place. Rohit is now just behind Rajasthan Royals (RR) batsman Riyan Parag, who is second in the race for the Orange Cap. Riyan Parag recently scored 34 runs from 14 balls in a match against KKR on April 16.
Sunil Narine made his mark in the Orange Cap race with a century against RR on the same day. Meanwhile, RR captain Sanju Samson has slipped to fifth place.
At the top of the leaderboard, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Virat Kohli continues to hold the Orange Cap. On the other hand, Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill has dropped out of the top five.
Let’s have a look at the list of batters who are in the Orange Cap contention:
1. King Kohli Retains the Crown: Virat Kohli (RCB) remains the undisputed king of the run scorers with a staggering 361 runs in just seven matches. He's already notched up two fifties and a brilliant century, all while maintaining a healthy strike rate of 147.34.
2. Riyan Parag: Rising Star: Rajasthan Royals' young gun, Riyan Parag, has been a revelation this season. Promoted to the middle order, he's repaid the faith handsomely with 318 runs from seven matches at a blistering strike rate of 161.42.
3. Rohit Sharma Joins the Party: The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma (MI), has finally cracked the top three. His knock of 297 runs in seven matches, including a century against CSK, underlines his return to form. While he hasn't scored any fifties yet, his strike rate of 164.08 is impressive.
4. Sunil Narine, KKR's Powerhouse Opener: KKR's all-rounder, Sunil Narine, has taken the IPL by storm with his power-hitting at the top of the order. He's amassed 276 runs from just six matches at a mind-boggling strike rate of 187.75, including a fifty and a century.
5. Sanju Samson: Leading by Example: Sanju Samson (RR) has not only impressed with his captaincy skills but also with his consistent batting. He's scored 276 runs from seven matches at a strike rate of 155.05, playing some crucial match-winning knocks for the Rajasthan Royals.
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | S/R |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | RCB | 7 | 361 | 72.2 | 147.35 |
| 2 | Riyan Parag | RR | 7 | 318 | 63.6 | 161.42 |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma | MI | 7 | 297 | 49.5 | 164.09 |
| 4 | Sunil Narine | KKR | 6 | 276 | 46 | 187.76 |
| 5 | Sanju Samson | RR | 7 | 276 | 55.2 | 155.06 |
| 6 | Shubman Gill | GT | 7 | 263 | 43.83 | 151.15 |
| 7 | Heinrich Klaasen | SRH | 6 | 253 | 63.25 | 199.21 |
| 8 | Jos Buttler | RR | 6 | 250 | 62.5 | 147.93 |
| 9 | Shivam Dube | CSK | 6 | 242 | 60.5 | 163.51 |
| 10 | Sai Sudharshan | GT | 7 | 238 | 34 | 127.96 |
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