IPL 2021: 5 dark horses who could win the Orange Cap for the first time

PBKS opener Mayank Agarwal
PBKS opener Mayank Agarwal

The Orange Cap has been one of the most sought-after awards in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ever since Shaun Marsh clinched it in the inaugural IPL season, the Orange Cap has been on some legendary cricketers' heads. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and David Warner have all won the accolade on at least one occasion.

Last year, Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul was the runaway winner of the Orange Cap. Apart from the usual suspects such as Rahul, we name 5 dark horses who could claim the Orange Cap in IPL 2021.


#5 Suryakumar Yadav - Mumbai Indians

MI's Suryakumar Yadav
MI's Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is in the form of his life. Having finally made his India debut after years of waiting, the Mumbai Indians No. 3 is primed for a career-best season in the IPL.

MI play 5 games in Chennai and 4 games in Ahmedabad, and Suryakumar is arguably the best player of spin in the country. The classy right-hander has a rock-solid batting lineup around him and he can afford to play his natural game without any fear.

We could see Suryakumar contend for the Orange Cap in an IPL season which will have a major bearing on selection for India's T20 World Cup squad.


#4 Devdutt Padikkal - Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB's Devdutt Padikkal
RCB's Devdutt Padikkal

Reports have suggested that Devdutt Padikkal has made a complete recovery after testing positive for COVID-19 a couple of weeks ago, and will be available for the IPL 2021 season opener against the Mumbai Indians.

Padikkal finished last year's IPL as the Royal Challengers Bangalore's leading run-scorer, making more runs than even Kohli and AB de Villiers. The young southpaw is on the back of a spectacular domestic season, especially in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Padikkal could catapult himself into reckoning for the national team with a prolific IPL season, and winning the Orange Cap would go a long way in achieving the same objective. He could be among the frontrunners for the award throughout IPL 2021, especially with Kohli as an opening partner.


#3 Rishabh Pant - Delhi Capitals

DC's Rishabh Pant
DC's Rishabh Pant

Appointed as Delhi Capitals captain in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant seems all set for a career-defining IPL season. Long heralded as the successor to former Indian skipper MS Dhoni, the young wicket-keeper now has the chance to prove his worth in the leadership department as well.

Pant is in the form of his life, having become an Indian team regular in all three formats and having played a number of match-winning innings in the recent past. His keeping has also never been better, and he has the perfect support system at DC for IPL 2021.

Pant is perhaps the most important player in the DC batting lineup now, and we could see him take on increased responsibility in IPL 2021. He could surge up the Orange Cap charts and seriously contend for the award for the first time in his IPL career.


#2 Jonny Bairstow - Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH's Jonny Bairstow
SRH's Jonny Bairstow

A few weeks ago, Jonny Bairstow wasn't even guaranteed a place in the Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI. But after a Man of the Series performance in the ODI leg of England's tour of India, the opener seems set to play an important role alongside David Warner for the Orange Army in IPL 2021.

Bairstow is another batsman who's in the form of his life. And although his 2019 season was prolific, he was never a real contender for the Orange Cap as he missed a portion of the league phase that year. We could see him pile on the runs in IPL 2021 and take SRH to another deep run in the playoffs.

Bairstow may not be as fancied as Warner and Williamson, but he's an equally important cog in the SRH wheel.


#1 Mayank Agarwal - Punjab Kings

PBKS' Mayank Agarwal
PBKS' Mayank Agarwal

If not for an unfortunate injury he sustained, Mayank Agarwal could've seriously challenged captain KL Rahul for the Orange Cap in IPL 2020. The Punjab Kings opener smashed a century and nearly scored another as he gave his team solid starts on a regular basis.

Agarwal isn't in great form at the moment, having lost his place in the Indian Test team to Shubman Gill. But in the IPL, he's been a reliable performer over the last few years. And his partnership with Rahul at the top of the order for PBKS is ideal for him to score a mountain of runs in IPL 2021.

We could see Agarwal make a genuine run for the Orange Cap in IPL 2021.

Check RCB Squad 2024 Details. Follow Sportskeeda for IPL 2024 Live Score, Schedule, Points Table

Quick Links

Edited by Prasen Moudgal