With IPL cricket matches comes the excitement of rooting and cheering for your favourite team and player. From legends to newcomers, each player gets a grand stage to show his best skills. But, most of all, the strongest sports rivalry comes out in the fight for the Orange and Purple Cap. This IPL ranking is crucial for the individual performance of the players. As VIVO IPL 2021 is in full swing, the Orange/Purple cap war is on too. Which player do you think will claim the Orange and Purple cap at the end of the tournament?
However, let us first look at the rules to win the Orange and Purple Cap.
Rules for winning the Orange Cap
- Given to a player with the highest number of runs in a season
- If there is a tie, then the batsman with a better strike rate is awarded the cap
The player who currently holds the Orange cap is allowed to wear it while fielding, all through the innings. If the opposition batsman has overtaken the run-score then the cap is awarded to the opposition batsman. As of today, Nitish Rana from Kolkata Knight Riders has claimed the Orange cap for a fantastic century against Mumbai Indians. He is closely followed by Sanju Samson and Manish Pandey. It is also predicted that Suryakumar Yadav, Devdutt Padikkal, Prithvi Shaw and Rishab Pant are the contenders this season to win their first Orange Cap. However, the record for the most number of runs in the IPL season still belongs to Virat Kohli. In 2016, he scored a record-breaking 973 runs and got his name added to the winners of the Orange cap list. Along with him, there are other contenders such as David Warner and KL Rahul this year.
Rules For winning the Purple Cap
- Given to a player who is the lead wicket-taker in the tournament
- If there is a tie, then the Purple cap is given to the player with a higher economy rate
The bowler who holds the Purple cap would wear it on the field for the entire innings. If the opposition team’s bowler has a higher wicket score then the cap is awarded to the opposition bowler. As of today, Harshal Patel from Royal Challengers Bangalore has claimed the Purple cap with 7 wickets in 2 matches. He bagged 3 wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad to move to the top position. Andre Russell follows close behind with 6 wickets in 2 matches so far. Until now, only Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have won the Purple Cap twice. Dwayne Bravo’s 32 wickets in 2013 have been the highest by a bowler in a single season of IPL.
Even though the fight for Orange and Purple cap does not affect the overall IPL team rankings, it is still a matter of pride for players. It helps them stand out in the tournament. So, which player are you rooting for this season?