It hasn’t been a week since IPL started, but the cricket fever has gripped the nation. Fans and experts have already started their predictions about who will be the best batter and the best bowler of the tournament.
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli started the tournament with a bang with his sensational knock of unbeaten 82 against Mumbai Indians in their tournament opener. While Chennai Super Kings’ dependable opener Ruturaj Gaikwad – who is termed as a star in the making – has slammed back-to-back fifties for the Yellow Army.
Apart from these names, the experts have also backed RCB captain Faf du Plessis, Rajasthan Royals star opener Jos Buttler, young Gujarat Titans batter Shubman Gill, and Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner to win the Orange Cap in TATA IPL 2023.
Kohli and Gaikwad have been backed by three experts as the top contenders for the Orange Cap. West Indies cricketer Darren Ganga, South Africa legend Jacques Kallis former India cricketer Sandeep Patil have predicted Kohli as the eventual winner of the Orange Cap.
Similarly, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and India’s World Cup-winning fast bowler S Sreesanth have voted in favour of Gaikwad – who currently sports the Orange Cap.
Former Australia all-rounder David Hussey and T20 World Cup-winning former Aussie captain Aaron Finch believe Jos Buttler was head and shoulders above the rest in TATA IPL 2022 with 863 runs under his belt – will snap the award for a second straight season.
While former Australia cricketer Tom Moody and Irfan Pathan have predicted Gill – who has been in phenomenal form this year – as a top contender for Orange Cap.
Sreesanth and former Indian wicketkeeper Deepdas Gupta believe Faf du Plessis can win Orange Cap this year. While Mohammed Kaif is the only expert who has backed Warner.