Robin Uthappa can overtake Gayle and Hussey to make history in IPL final
The current Orange Cap holder in IPL 7, Kolkata Knight Riders’ Robin Uthappa will hope his brilliant run continues in the big final tonight. While providing a great start to his team will be his priority, he can also take inspiration from the fact that he needs 79 runs to break the IPL record of most runs in a single season.
Robin Uthappa has scored 655 runs in 15 matches this season at an average of 46.78. He has already surpassed Virat Kohli as the highest Indian run-getter in a single IPL season. Kohli held the record previously, with 634 runs last season. Chris Gayle and Michael Hussey currently stand ahead of Uthappa, with Gayle’s 708 (2013), Hussey’s 733 (2013) and Gayle’s 733 (2012) the top 3 highest tallies in a single season.
Uthappa has hit a rich vein of form this IPL after a successful domestic season with champions Karanataka, who achieved a rare treble this season. As an opener, Uthappa finds himself holding the Orange Cap, which earlier seemed out of reach with Kings XI Punjab’s Glenn Maxwell leaps and bounds ahead of others.
On many occasions, Uthappa has stressed on the importance of good technique and ‘keeping shape’ while batting in IPL, and has thanked his coach Pravin Amre for his overall improvement.
“I have been in good form coming into the tournament and am completely enjoying playing the game right now,” Uthappa said in an interview. “I have always been most comfortable up the order which I feel is my best position,”
“It is a great feeling to be in the final first of all. Being at the Chinnaswamy is an additional bonus as it is a ground I enjoy playing at. Hopefully, we will get a lot of support from the crowd and put in a great performance.”
If KKR wins the final, it’ll become the first team after Chennai Super Kings to win the title twice, having won it first in 2012. It’ll also extend its winning run to 9 matches, the most in IPL history, overshadowing the 8-match winning streak jointly held by itself and KXIP currently.