The Orange Cap in the IPL is given to the player who scores the most runs in the season. Every year we see various batsmen competing with one another to win the prestigious award.
So, who are those batters who have managed to lead the run-scoring table, year by year?
This article will look at the Orange cap winners (the top run scorer of every season) in the IPL, year-wise.
IPL 2008: Shaun Marsh – 616 runs
Shaun Marsh scored the maximum number of runs in the league’s inaugural edition. He was awarded the Orange Cap in 2008. He scored a whopping 616 runs, averaging an enormous 68.44, along with an impressive strike rate of almost 140 for Punjab Kings (PBKS). Shaun Marsh was Punjab’s “Mr. Consistent” and was one of their key players that year.
IPL 2009: Matthew Hayden – 572 runs
Australian legend Matthew Hayden scored the most runs in the second edition of the league and won the Orange Cap that year. He scored a whopping 572 runs in 12 matches and had a strike rate of 144.81. He was one of the best players CSK had back then. CSK fans Hayden to this date and still consider him a CSK legend.
IPL 2010: Sachin Tendulkar – 618 runs
Arguably the greatest batsman of all time, Sachin Tendulkar won the esteemed award in 2010. He was super consistent for MI as they reached the finals under him. Tendulkar went on to score 618 runs for his team. He had a batting average and strike rate of 47.53 and 132.61, respectively, in IPL 2010.
IPL 2011: Chris Gayle – 608 runs
This is when the “Gayle Storm” truly began in the IPL. After coming in as a replacement, the Universe Boss made this season his own and hit sixes for fun. The Universe Boss scored 608 runs in the 4th edition of the Indian Premier League for the RCB side. His strike rate of 183 sets him apart from all Orange Cap holders.
IPL 2012: Chris Gayle – 733 runs
The Universe Boss wasn’t done yet. After dominating bowlers in 2011, he decided to troll bowlers in 2012. The “Gayle Storm” ensured that no bowler was spared. He scored 733 runs at a mountainous average of 61. He also had a strike rate of 160.74. However, that still wasn’t enough to help RCB reach the playoffs. After this, he scored the highest-ever score in the league the next year.
IPL 2013: Michael Hussey – 733 runs
Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey, won the Orange Cap in 2013. He was one of the main reasons CSK reached the finals that season. The Aussie batsman accumulated 733 runs at an average of over 50, but Mumbai Indians won the title that season. It would be safe to say that Hussey was one of the greatest players to have played for CSK.
IPL 2014: Robin Uthappa – 660 runs
Uthappa was an absolute beast in 2014. KKR went on to win the title that year, and Uthappa was one of the major reasons behind their successful campaign. After being sent to open the innings, Robbie never looked back and won the Orange Cap that year. He scored 660 runs at an average and strike rate of 44 and 137, respectively.
IPL 2015: David Warner – 562 runs
David Warner is one of the greatest players in the league’s history. His love affair with the Orange Cap started in 2015, as he scored the most runs that year. Warner scored 562 runs in 2015. His average and strike rate with the bat were 43 and 156, respectively. Despite this, SRH still couldn’t qualify for the playoffs.
IPL 2016: Virat Kohli – 973 runs
This has to be the greatest performance in IPL history. No batsman has come close to performing like how Kohli did in 2016. The year made us top six-hitter of that year, too.
IPL 2017: David Warner – 641 runs
As mentioned earlier, Warner and the Orange Cap have their own love affair. The Australians tag of the highest run-scoring overseas batsman in the tournament tells you all. Warner was sensational in the tenth edition of the league and scored 641 runs in 2017. Sunrisers Hyderabad had claimed the title in IPL 2016 but lost the playoff battle against KKR in 2017.
IPL 2018: Kane Williamson – 735 runs
The genius from New Zealand topped the charts in 2018. The accidental captain for SRH turned out to be a boon for them as Williamson went on to win the Orange Cap that year. He scored 735 runs at an average and strike rate of 52 and 144, respectively. SRH reached the finals under his captaincy in that season as well.
IPL 2019: David Warner – 692 runs
After missing the previous season 5000 runs in the league.
IPL 2020: KL Rahul – 670 runs
KL Rahul has been one of the best players in the IPL for the last few seasons. After two good seasons in 2018 and 2019, he went on to win the Orange Cap in 2020. It was safe to say that he carried Punjab throughout the tournament. KL Rahul scored 670 runs, amassed at an average of 55 while striking at 129, including five fifty-plus scores and a hundred.
IPL 2021: Ruturaj Gaikwad – 635 Runs
Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 635 runs in IPL 2021 to become the highest run-scorer in the season when his team, Chennai Super Kings, won its fourth IPL title. While doing so, he also became the youngest cricketer to win the Orange Cap in the tournament’s history at 24. He scored a massive total of 635 runs at an average of 45.35, including seven fifties and one century.
IPL 2022: Jos Buttler – 863 runs
2022 was the year of Jos Buttler, who made 863 runs at an average of 57.53 in 17 innings and played a big part in Rajasthan Royals’ reaching the final that year. The team’s route to the final through the second qualifier gained the English wicketkeeper-batter an extra game to get to this total. The flawless season from Buttler included four centuries, thereby equalling Virat Kohli’s record of four centuries in the 2016 season. Buttler also topped the chart of most sixes and fours in that season.
IPL 2023: Shubman Gill – 890 Runs
The Orange Cap winner of the 2023 season lit up the IPL with three centuries and some excellent non-challengeable batting. His ability to produce under pressure and the ease with which he consistently hit sixes proved that a new era of Indian batting is building up, with Gill playing the prime role. He scored 890 runs with a strike rate of 157+ and an average of 59+.
IPL 2024: Virat Kohli – 741 Runs
Virat Kohli had another great run in the IPL in 2024. He slammed 741 runs in 15 innings to take his overall run tally above 8000 in the league. He averaged 61.75 and struck at an impressive rate of 154.69. Kohli was the major reason behind RCB making it to the playoffs after a turnaround in the second half of the season.
Closing Points
Only four players in the list of top 10 run scorers in the league have been able to pick the Orange Cap in their IPL career. In that Chris Gayle has won it twice and David Warner, thrice.
