Suryavanshi vs Kohli vs Gill: Who Will Finish with IPL 2026 Orange Cap? Race Gets Intense

IPL 2026 is almost at an end. As many as 72 out of the 74 games have been played. Out of the 10 teams that started the journey, only three remain.

RCB are already in the final while SRH have been knocked out. RR and GT face off in Qualifier 2 on May 29 and the winner shall take on RCB in the final on May 31. As we near the end of the 19th edition, the race for the Orange Cap is getting tighter. The past, present and future are battling it out to finish as the highest run-getter of IPL 2026.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's Flawless Season

It's the 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi of RR who leads the pack. The young man has slammed 680 runs in 15 innings at an average of 45.33 with a strike rate of 242.86. Not to mention one 100 and four 50s with a personal best of 103. At the moment, the Orange Cap belongs to him, now it's a matter of holding on. He has at least one or possibly two innings to consolidate his position at the top. Should he achieve it, Vaibhav shall be the 1st uncapped player to do so after 18 years and also become the youngest to win it.

Shubman Gill's Quest for Glory

Another contender for the Orange Cap is GT skipper Shubman Gill. With 618 runs at an average of 44.14 from 14 innings with a strike rate of 159.28, Gill is in fine form. The 26-year-old, who is the ODI and Test captain of Team India, has hit six 50s with a top score of 86. He too has at least one innings and at the most two to go past Vaibhav. Remember, if Vaibhav plays two innings, Gill only plays one and vice versa. This is because one of them shall be going home after Qualifier 2 ends.

Virat Kohli Ruling IPL 2026

The 37-year-old Virat Kohli is proving time and again that age is just a number. The RCB star has made 600 runs in 15 innings at an average of 50 with a strike rate of 164.74. Add to that a 100 and four 50s plus a best score of 105 not out, Kohli is ruling IPL 2026. He's already in the final so has just one innings to go past Vaibhav. If he wins the Orange Cap, he will be the 1st Indian and 2nd player overall to win it three times. Should RCB also win the title, Kohli will be only the 3rd player to win both the Orange Cap and the IPL in the same season.

Sai Sudharsan Very Much in Contention

Another man who is in contention is actually in 2nd place on the list. We speak of GT's Sai Sudharsan. Sai has made 652 runs in 14 innings at an average of 50.15 plus a strike rate of 157.87. He has one century and seven half-centuries. Add to that a top score of 100. He too has at least one or at the most two innings to take the top spot. It remains to be seen if he can.

IPL 2026 Title vs Orange Cap

One of these players shall take the top spot on the list and bring home the Orange Cap. But they will also want to win the IPL title. If it comes to a choice, they would happily give up the former for the latter. But winning both would be the ultimate feeling. Let's see who ends up at the top and if he also wins the title.