Ruturaj Gaikwad has been one of the most consistent players in the IPL ever since he made his debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Being an orthodox player, Gaikwad’s shots are extremely clean and eye-catching. He can play those straight drives perfectly and in times of need one can smash the bowlers out of the park. He’s capable of attacking the bowlers and was also the Orange Cap winner in the IPL 2021.
Being an opener, he has always given those great starts to the team which are important in the power play. In this season as well he is leading the Orange Cap list with 506 runs in 10 matches. Going at an average of 50.6, everybody is expecting him to get the cap at the end of the season.
Let’s check out the three reasons why Ruturaj Gaikwad can win the Orange Cap in the ongoing IPL 2024:
1. Been consistent at CSK’s home ground, Chepauk
Gaikwad’s performance in CSK’s home ground has been terrific this season. He is the leading run scorer at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium and CSK are yet to play one more match in their backyard. One century from Gaikwad will keep him ahead in the Orange Cap’s list, which he is extremely capable of. Hence, this is one advantage he has in this season.
2. Since he is an opener he gets more time to spend on the crease
Another reason could be his batting position in the team. Being an opener, he gets the most time to spend on the crease and since he is a reliable batter, he has the scope to play more balls and score more runs during that time. In this IPL, Gaikwad has been playing until the 15th over and if he continues to do so, he can definitely score more than the other competitors.
3. If CSK qualifies for playoffs, Gaikwad has a strong chance
Gaikwad has got strong competition from Virat Kohli who is in the second position with 500 runs. However, when it comes to qualification, RCB’s chances to qualify for the playoffs are bleak while CSK can still qualify if they win all of their matches. SO if RCB is knocked out of the league stages, then Ruturaj will have a good chance of winning the Orange Cap as his main competition will be out of the tournament.