"Orange Cap doesn't win you IPL.." Ambati Rayudu takes another subtle dig at RCB star Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli amassed 741 runs in the IPL 2024 season and won the Orange Cap.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) etched their name into the Indian Premier League (IPL) record books after clinching their third trophy with a clinical win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 26. Following the victory, former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu first congratulated Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata, then took a dig at the IPL 2024 Orange Cap winner Virat Kohli.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star opener Kohli won the Orange Cap award after amassing 741 runs in 15 matches at an average of 61.75. The RCB opener hammered five half centuries and one hundred in the season. Interestingly, Kohli, who was criticized for his strike rate by some cricket pundits, had a strike rate of more than 150 throughout the tournament. 

This was the second time the 35-year-old Kohli won the Orange Cap. Previously, the former RCB skipper won the award in the 2016 edition, where he smashed a record-breaking 973 runs.

It’s not the orange cap that wins you the IPL: Ambati Rayudu’s fresh jibe at Virat Kohli

Four KKR batters scored 350 or more runs in IPL 2024, with all-rounder Sunil Narine leading the chart with 488 runs in 15 games. Phil Salt hammered 435 runs, Venkatesh Iyer amassed 370 runs, and skipper Shreyas Iyer smashed 354 runs for the three-time champions.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Rayudu pointed out that stalwarts like Narine, Russell, and Starc contributed their share to the team’s title triumph. Rayudu stressed that Orange Cap will not win you the IPL, but it is the contributions, like 300 runs each (by many players), that will win you the championship.

“Congratulations to the KKR team for really standing up for stalwarts like Narine, Russell and Starc and also contribute their share in the team’s win. That’s how a team wins the IPL. We have seen this over the years. It’s not the Orange Cap that wins you the IPL but it is the contributions like 300 runs each (of many players),” Rayudu said while talking to Star Sports.

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