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Begin the countdown, we are now just six days away from the much-awaited 15th edition of the Indian Premier League and this time around it is going to be even grander as we will witness 10 teams battle it over two months for the prestigious silverware.

Since the inception of the tournament we have seen several players stamp their authority briefly, however, very few of them have managed to maintain consistency over the long course and a few of the names that come to our mind are former RCB skipper Virat Kohli, the southpaw Shikhar Dhawan and the pocket dynamite David Warner. 

The times are as we saw the youngster Ruturaj Gaikwad win the orange cap after just going past his fellow teammate Faf du Plessis by a narrow margin of 2 runs. With the tournament showcasing a mixture of talent, Cricwizz, today takes a look at the top 5 contenders to win the Orange cap.

1) David Warner (Delhi Capitals)

A class act, the Australian explosive opener has been amongst the runs every time he takes the field. The 35-year old currently has 5449 runs to his name and he also holds the record for the most runs scored by an overseas player in this tournament. 

Yes, the Aussie did have a disturbing season with SRH in the last season after being a victim of internal politics in the franchise, he will now play an integral role in the Delhi Capitals side and his stature as the experienced opener is likely to give him the right acclaim.

# Warner has won the Orange cap on three occasions (2015, 2017, and  2019), it is the most by any player in the tournament's history.

2) Shikhar Dhawan (Punjab Kings)

Another heavy favorite to win the cap, the southpaw has come mighty close to winning the cap on various occasions. He is also the only player in IPL to score back to back centuries. The 36-year old has shown exemplary form in the recent editions and he is exactly 500 runs away from overtaking the run machine, Virat Kohli, as the highest run-getter. Yes, it is some margin to overtake but if Kohli happens to have an off-season and Dhawan can capitalize, this might be the dream year for Gabbar.

# Dhawan holds the record for smashing the most number of fours in the tournament. With 654 fours to his name, he is 108 clear of the second-placed Virat Kohli. Well, no off-season can beat that tally. 

3) Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Glenn Maxwell IPL
Glenn Maxwell (Image Credits: IPLofficial)

Well, not many would agree that he stands to be a contender for the Orange cap but from what we saw in the last season and his ability to anchor the innings in the middle-order does make him a favorite. The Aussie has recently started to focus on his bowling well and has become a handy all-rounder for the national and domestic circuits. 

The main reason why he makes the cut is because of the role he is likely to play, with Kohli and Faf du Plessis expected to open the innings, Maxwell is likely to get sample overs to play with and he has started to respect his wicket and that is definitely good signs for the RCB side. 

4) Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Shreyas Iyer IPL
Shreyas Iyer (Image Credits: BCCI)

Form! Form! If you are a firm believer of the form, then this 27-year old is at the peak of it. He has been piling on the runs in recent times and we saw him notch up 225 runs against Sri Lanka in the 3-match T20I series at an incredible average of 225 runs. He also now holds the record for most runs scored in a 3-match bilateral T20I series. 

He continued his form into the Tests as well and with the added responsibility of captaincy, he is likely to show more maturity in his game. Personally, he is my pick to win the cap. What are your thoughts?

5) KL Rahul (Lucknow Supergiants)

KL Rahul IPL
KL Rahul (Image Credits: TheQuint)

How can this list be complete without the flamboyant opener? The former Punjab Kings was bought by the Lucknow Supergiants for a hefty price. Yes, he does serve all justice to the price tag as he has been in prime form in the IPL. The 29-year old has amassed 3273 runs in the tournament at an incredible average of 47.43 which is the highest for any player who has scored over 3000 runs in this league. Really Special talent and surely a force to reckon at the top of the order. Can the run maker lead his side to a famous victory?

# KL Rahul holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in this league (132* vs RCB)

Which player do you think has the best chance to win the Orange cap this time around? Do you think we missed out on anyone apart from these players who hold a strong chance to win the cap? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments. Also, follow our social media handles as we bring you all the exciting and exclusive content revolving around the second most followed sport in the world.