Kohli leads the Orange Cap race at 34 games into IPL 2026, with no clear frontrunner emerging yet.
With 34 matches played in the season, the Orange Cap race remains wide open and has seen frequent changes in leadership. Typically, consistent accumulators dominate such leaderboards, but this year has defied norms with explosive T20 hitters rising to the top.
Virat Kohli, a two-time Orange Cap winner, currently sits at the summit, while others like Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have taken turns leading. Sanju Samson is also surging up the ranks, backed by two centuries in recent games.
The fastest scoring rates this season belong to Priyansh Arya, Sooryavanshi, and Abhishek, who have struck at 248.23, 220.86, and 215.33 respectively. Their aggressive approach has been pivotal to their teams' strong starts, with Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad occupying the top three positions on the points table currently.
Abhishek Sharma also leads the six-hitting charts with 27 maximums, followed by Rajat Patidar (23) and Priyansh Arya along with Sooryavanshi (20 each).
The Purple Cap race is equally tight, though the top three do not include any household names. Fast bowlers have largely dominated this leaderboard, with spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Harsh Dubey the only two in the top ten.
Anshul Kamboj sits at the top with 14 wickets, excelling particularly in death overs, while Prince Yadav follows closely with 13 scalps, having impressed across all phases. Eshan Malinga rounds out the top three with 12 wickets, sharing the spot with last season's Purple Cap winner Prasidh Krishna.
This season has seen bowlers outshine batters in terms of impactful spells. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old prodigy, has been targeted repeatedly, even by Jasprit Bumrah, with teams trying to decode his aggressive approach.
One standout over came from Lucknow Super Giants' left-arm seamer Mohsin Khan, who maintained tight lengths and extracted movement to build pressure in the fourth over. Sooryavanshi was restricted to five dots, then forced into a miscued swipe that was caught by Digvesh Rathi at extra cover.
Though Mohsin has featured in just three matches, his economy rate of 6.80 (minimum 50 balls) is the second-best in the league.
Rajasthan Royals' Tushar Deshpande delivered a masterclass in the final over against Gujarat Titans, defending a total of 10 runs. With Rashid Khan at the crease, Deshpande conceded only four runs and claimed a crucial wicket to secure victory.
Mohsin Khan's dismissal of Sooryavanshi early in an innings has become a talking point, with his composed and economical bowling making a strong impression despite limited game time.
The IPL continues to unearth fresh talent, and this season has been no different. Mukul Choudhary became an instant hero for Lucknow Super Giants with an unbeaten 54 that stunned Kolkata Knight Riders during a thrilling chase, an innings that stands out even in a season filled with six centuries.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have uncovered a promising pace duo in Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, who dismantled Rajasthan Royals' batting to leave them at 9 for 5. Shivang Kumar has also strengthened SRH's spin department as another exciting find.
Brijesh Sharma played a key role for Rajasthan Royals in defending 160 in a tight game, while Gujarat Titans' Ashok Sharma has quietly impressed with six wickets in six matches, showcasing sharp pace after two seasons on the sidelines with Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
Fresh off leading India to T20 World Cup glory, Jasprit Bumrah was expected to be Mumbai Indians' standout bowler this season. However, Bumrah has struggled to replicate his usual form, going wicketless across five consecutive matches and conceding over 10 runs per over against Punjab Kings, a rare dip in his standards.
His drought ended in typical fashion with a wicket off the first ball against Gujarat Titans, followed by another scalp against Chennai Super Kings.
High-profile overseas signings have again raised eyebrows this season. Cameron Green, purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders for 25.20 crore rupees—the most expensive overseas buy in IPL history—has managed just 162 runs in seven innings, with most of those runs coming in a loss to Gujarat Titans.
His bowling has been limited to three matches due to workload concerns, yielding just one wicket. Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana, the second most expensive signing at 18 crore, joined Kolkata Knight Riders late but is yet to make his debut after receiving clearance from SLC.
Chennai Super Kings' Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, bought for 14.20 crore each, have had limited chances—four and two matches respectively—without making a significant impact. Liam Livingstone, signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 13 crore, has featured in just two games so far.
While domestic players have dominated discussions, a few overseas newcomers have also left their mark. Cooper Connolly has seamlessly integrated into Punjab Kings' lineup, highlighted by a fluent 87 against Lucknow Super Giants in New Chandigarh.
Rajasthan Royals have found value in Nandre Burger, while Royal Challengers Bangalore's Jacob Duffy has been effective, particularly in powerplay overs. These overseas additions have added depth to their respective teams, complementing the strong domestic performances.
Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer produced a breathtaking moment against Mumbai Indians that stunned the opposition. Fielding at long-on, he sprinted across, launched himself full stretch to catch the ball mid-air with his left hand, transferred it to his right as he crossed the boundary, and completed a sharp relay to Xavier Bartlett before landing safely.
The dismissal of Hardik Pandya left the Wankhede crowd momentarily in silence.