IPL 2019: One potential Orange Cap winner from each side
The twelfth edition of the biggest T20 league in the world is all set to get underway in less than a week. Going into the tournament, most teams hold a similar look like last year while a few teams have some drastic changes. Some players return from bans and injuries while some others pulled out due to preparations for the World Cup.
Every season the quest for the coveted Orange Cap sees fierce competition, which gets more exciting when youngsters give the established stars a run for their money.
One strange fact about the Orange Cap is that only once has the coveted cap winner ended up being with the champion team; Robin Uthappa for KKR in 2014. As we near the start of the season, we look at one potential Orange Cap winner from each side.
#1. Royal Challengers Bangalore - Virat Kohli
The second-highest run-getter in the IPL, Virat Kohli remains the top contender for finishing as the highest run-getter for whichever team and in whichever tournament he plays. Continuing his purple patch for more than 4 years now, Kohli has bossed or is almost certain to boss almost every batting record in cricket.
The RCB skipper might open the batting this year with Parthiv Patel, or bat at 3 if Parthiv opens with Moeen Ali/ Marcus Stoinis. Kohli has the record of most runs in a single season when he scored more than 900 runs including 4 hundreds in the 2016 season.
The right-handed batsman is in great form going into the tournament and is certainly one of the top contenders for the Orange Cap. Even a poor season on his standards sees him score nearly 500 runs nowadays and considering his form this year, it would not be a surprise if he repeats something like the 2016 season.
AB de Villers might also be in the race but Kohli's consistency always pips him ahead of everyone else.