Orange Cap in IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma reclaims top spot despite hundreds from Vaibhav Suryavanshi & KL Rahul

The Orange Cap in IPL 2026 changed three heads on Saturday. It started with KL Rahul before Vaibhav Suryavanshi reclaimed it within a few hours. Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma went to the top spot with a fifty against Rajasthan Royals. Earlier, Suryavanshi and Rahul both scored hundreds.

Koushik Paul
Updated26 Apr 2026, 12:44 AM IST
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma plays a shot against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma plays a shot against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. (PTI)

The Orange Cap of Indian Premier League (IPL) in the 2026 season travelled three heads on Saturday after Abhishek Sharma's half-century against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. It all started at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Following his majestic 152 not out against Punjab Kings, KL Rahul got hands into the Orange Cap for the first time in IPL 2026 after he raced to the top with 357 runs.

A few hours later, Rajasthan Royals wonderkid Vaibhav Suryavanshi reclaimed the Orange Cap with his first hundred of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad and second in his career. The 15-year-old raced to his three-figure mark in just 36 balls to go on level with Rahul and take the top spot. But Suryavanshi's joy was shortlived as Abhishek recaptured the coveted cap with a fifty in the chase of 229.

Also Read | KL Rahul becomes first Indian to enter 150-club in IPL, enters elite list

Starting the day on 323 runs, Abhishek scored 57 runs off just 29 balls, including 11 fours and a single six before being dismissed by Donovan Ferreira. Currently, Abhishek is standing at 380 runs from eight games.

Earlier, Suryavanshi, raced to fifty in just 15 balls (third time in this season) as Rajasthan Royals reached 76/1 in the powerplay. It was Suryavanshi, who started the onslaught, hitting four consecutive sixes off Praful Hinge in the first over itself. While Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed early, Suryavanshi partnered with Dhruv Jurel to take down the opposition bowlers.

However, the Samastipur-born lad got silent in the middle for a bit before launching an attack on Shivang Kumar for a four and a six to get going. It was in the 14th over Suryavanshi smashed fellow Bihar lad Sakib Hussain for two sixes and a four to get into his three figures in style in 36 balls.

Incidentally, Suryavanshi had taken a delivery less against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 when he scored his maiden IPL ton. However, his joy was shortlived as Hussain had the final laugh on the very next ball, trapping the kid in front. during his stay at the crease, Suryavanshi five fours and 12 sixes.

Also Read | How Delhi Police helped Lungi Ngidi to reach hospital in less than 15 minutes?

In the process, Suryavanshi levelled at 357 runs with Delhi Capitals opener KL Rahul at the top of the Orange Cap list in IPL 2026. For the unknown, Rahul had gotten his hands on the Orange Cap barely a few hours ago for the first time in this season after becoming the first Indian batter to score a 150-plus in the history of IPL. He scored 152 not out against Punjab Kings.

Updated IPL 2026 Orange Cap after RR vs SRH

RankPlayerRunsMatHSAvgSR
1Abhishek Sharma (SRH)3808135 not out54.28212.29
2Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR)357810344.62234.86
3KL Rahul (Delhi Capitals)3577152 not out59.50187.89
4Heinrich Klaasen (SRH)34986249.86149.78
5Virat Kohli (RCB)32878154.67163.18
6Ishan Kishan (SRH)31289139.00198.72
7Shubman Gill (GT)29768649.50149.24
8Sanju Samson (CSK)2937115 not out58.60178.65
9Prabhsimran Singh (Punjab Kings)287780 not out57.40192.61
10Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings)279769.7569.75186.00

Besides the trio of Abhishek, Suryavanshi and Rahul, the likes of Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen too surged upwards in the table. The South African Klaasen could contribute only 29 runs on Saturday to move up to the fourth position with 349 runs, thus displacing Virat Kohli to fifth.

Kishan's 74 off just 31 balls also lifted him up in the sixth position with 312 runs. Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill (297), Chennai Super Kings' Sanju Samson (293), and Punjab Kings duo of Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer take the final four positions in the top 10.

Also Read | IPL 2026: Why did DC not replace Ngidi with Chameera against PBKS?

Against Delhi Capitals, both Prabhsimran and Iyer were on the scoresheet in the successful chase of 265. While Prabhsimran scored 76 (26 balls), Iyer were unbeaten on 71 (36 balls).

Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.

About the Author

Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.

Get Latest real-time updates

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news.

HomeNewsTrendsOrange Cap in IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma reclaims top spot despite hundreds from Vaibhav Suryavanshi & KL Rahul
More