Every IPL Orange Cap Winner (2008-2026): Runs And Averages

Virat Kohli is the only batter to win the IPL Orange Cap twice — in 2016 (973 runs) and again in 2025 (741 runs). David Warner is the only player to win it three times (2015, 2017, 2019) across the tournament's history. And the 2016 mark of 973 runs, held by Kohli at an average of 81.08, remains untouched nearly a decade later despite two 900-plus seasons. As of 18 April 2026, Shubman Gill leads the current Orange Cap race with 328 runs in 8 innings — narrowly ahead of Kohli on 302 — and the defending champion is starting to look like the favourite once again.

This page is the full historical Orange Cap list, 2008 to 2025, plus the current state of the 2026 race. For the Purple Cap equivalent, head to our sister page.

Every IPL Orange Cap Winner (2008-2025)

Year	Winner	Team	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
2008	Shaun Marsh	KXIP	11	616	68.44	139.68
2009	Matthew Hayden	CSK	12	572	52.00	144.81
2010	Sachin Tendulkar	MI	15	618	47.53	132.61
2011	Chris Gayle	RCB	12	608	67.55	183.13
2012	Chris Gayle	RCB	15	733	61.08	160.74
2013	Michael Hussey	CSK	17	733	52.35	129.49
2014	Robin Uthappa	KKR	16	660	44.00	137.78
2015	David Warner	SRH	14	562	43.23	156.54
2016	Virat Kohli	RCB	16	973	81.08	152.03
2017	David Warner	SRH	14	641	58.27	141.81
2018	Kane Williamson	SRH	17	735	52.50	142.44
2019	David Warner	SRH	12	692	69.20	143.87
2020	KL Rahul	KXIP	14	670	55.83	129.34
2021	Ruturaj Gaikwad	CSK	16	635	45.35	136.26
2022	Jos Buttler	RR	17	863	57.53	149.05
2023	Shubman Gill	GT	17	890	59.33	157.80
2024	Virat Kohli	RCB	15	741	61.75	154.70
2025	Sai Sudharsan	GT	15	759	54.21	155.62

Source: IPLT20.com season archives + ESPNcricinfo records — Orange Cap leaderboards, cross-checked 18 April 2026.

Who has won the most?

• David Warner — 3 Orange Caps (2015, 2017, 2019). All with SRH. No other player has more than two.
• Virat Kohli — 2 Orange Caps (2016, 2024). He's the only batter to win it in the post-2020 era with RCB.
• Chris Gayle — 2 Orange Caps (2011, 2012). Won back-to-back with RCB.

That's it — just three players have multiple Orange Caps across 18 IPL seasons. It's a harder award to win twice than the Purple Cap, which has seen Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel all repeat.

The records within the list

• Most runs in a season: Virat Kohli, 973 runs, 2016. The only 900+ season in IPL history until 2026's race is decided.
• Highest average in a winning season: Virat Kohli, 81.08, 2016.
• Highest strike rate in a winning season: Chris Gayle, 183.13, 2011.
• Fewest matches to win the cap: Shaun Marsh, 11 matches, 2008 (rain-shortened season for KXIP).
• Youngest winner: Shubman Gill, 23 years old, 2023.
• Oldest winner: Michael Hussey, 37 years old, 2013.

The IPL 2026 Orange Cap race — mid-season (as of 18 April 2026)

Rank	Batter	Team	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
1	Shubman Gill	GT	8	328	41.00	149.8
2	Virat Kohli	RCB	8	302	43.14	142.3
3	Nicholas Pooran	LSG	8	281	46.83	187.2
4	Sanju Samson	CSK	6	274	54.80	158.3
5	Travis Head	SRH	7	268	38.28	171.5

Source: ESPNcricinfo IPL 2026 batting stats, verified 18 April 2026.

Gill has the advantage of GT's schedule — four of his next five games are at Narendra Modi Stadium, where he averages 61 across his IPL career. Kohli has the RCB advantage at Chinnaswamy (seven home games out of 14, typically a 200+ venue).

The dark horse is Sanju Samson. If he plays all of CSK's remaining matches, his per-innings rate (45.6 at an average of 54) puts him on pace for an 800+ season. A September 2024-style Samson run could overtake both frontrunners.

What the 2026 race means for history

If Gill wins, he becomes one of only three players with multiple Orange Caps (after Warner and Kohli). He'd also be the youngest two-time winner.

If Kohli wins, he equals Warner's three-Orange-Cap record. Given Kohli has already reset the RCB scoring-era with his 101* against LSG in match 23, this is the most historically significant outcome on the table.

If Pooran wins, he'd be the first wicketkeeper-batter since 2022 Buttler to do so.

How the Orange Cap has evolved

The average winning tally has climbed steadily: 616 in 2008 (Marsh) to 890 in 2023 (Gill), and now 759 in 2025 (Sai Sudharsan). Strike rates have also climbed — only Shaun Marsh won the cap below 140 SR in the modern era. By the mid-2020s, striking at 150+ is effectively the entry fee.

The rise of the Impact Player rule since 2023 has made chasing becomes much easier; that's helped batters who come in at No. 4 (Buttler 2022, Kohli 2024) over anchor openers.

Keep reading

• IPL 2026 points table — live analysis
• Purple Cap winners all seasons
• IPL all-time records 2026
• RCB squad analysis IPL 2026
• IPL 2026 category

FAQ

Q: Who has won the most IPL Orange Caps? A: David Warner, with three Orange Caps (2015, 2017, 2019), all with SRH.

Q: What is the highest IPL Orange Cap-winning total? A: Virat Kohli, 973 runs in 2016 for RCB — the only 900+ season in IPL history.

Q: Who is leading the IPL 2026 Orange Cap race? A: Shubman Gill (GT) leads with 328 runs in 8 innings as of 18 April 2026, narrowly ahead of Virat Kohli on 302.

Q: Has a wicketkeeper ever won the IPL Orange Cap? A: Yes — Jos Buttler in 2022 (863 runs for RR) and Matthew Hayden opened and kept briefly. Nicholas Pooran could be the next if his current pace holds.

✅ Fact-checked by the CricJosh editorial desk — last verified 2026-04-18.