IPL 2021: From Rohit Sharma to AB de Villiers, 5 batting GOATS who never won Orange Cap: Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most hit and loved cricketing events across the world. The T20 extravaganza has had top players from different cricket nations and escalated the joyful nature of the tournament. The hefty money that the league involves alongside the lucrative giveaway- orange cap (highest run-scorer of the tournament) pepper the contest with even more excitement.
However, here we look at some of the ‘Greatest of all Times’ batsmen who have etched glittering names, yet have been unable to win the IPL’s orange cap under their belt.
Rohit Sharma
The captain of Mumbai Indians (MI), Rohit Sharma has registered his name as the most successful captain in the IPL with five trophies. An IPL player since 2008 genesis, Rohit Sharma is a prolific right-handed batsman and has been a crucial run-getter for MI. He had been an integral part of the blue brigade since 2011 and leading the side since 2013.
Sharma has played 202 innings in the IPL and mustered 5480 runs in total. However, it is surprising that in his decade long year playing for the cash-rich league, Sharma has never won an orange cap in the IPL.
AB de Villiers
Hailed as Mr 360 degree, AB de Villiers is one of the batting greats of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He has been a part of the IPL ever since its first season in 2018. The former Proteas player is an exceptional player with the bat and has single-handedly given match-winning innings for his side. A veteran of 162 IPL innings and having aggregated 5056 runs alongside such fine individual records in the IPL, it is unfortunate that RCB’s batting mainstay has never claimed an orange cap his career. He was a strong contender of the same in the 2016 edition, where de Villiers made 687 runs and finished third on the runs chart.
Suresh Raina
Known as ‘Mr IPL’ at large and ‘Chinna Thalava’ for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Raina has been a consistent contributor with the bat since his entry into the IPL back then in 2008. An experienced player of 195 IPL innings, Raina has mustered 5491 runs from the willow. The left-handed batsman is a powerful striker of the bat and has cruised the team through under pressure performances. It is disappointing to see that such a fine player has not yet lifted the top scorer’s (orange cap) in the IPL tournament.
Steve Smith
One of the greatest Australian players, Steve Smith has been an average show in the IPL. Compared to batting repertoire, not clinching an orange cap is a blot on his capabilities. Currently playing for Delhi Capitals (DC), he has featured in 91 IPL innings and amassed 2437 runs. With still a lot of cricket alive in the Australian player, he can be a potential grabber of the same in the coming editions.
Shane Watson
The legendary batsman and a former Australian player, Shane Watson continued playing IPL till 2020 despite taking retirement from international cricket in 2016. A part of the IPL since the tournament began in 2008, Watson had played on 141 occasions and aggregated a total of 3874 runs. It is indeed an underachievement for a player of such high repertoire to have never won the orange cap in his IPL career.
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