The
Orange Cap is presented to the leading run scorer of each season of the
Indian Premier League. It was introduced on 25 April 2008, a week after the start of the
inaugural season of the IPL. The batsman with most runs in the tournament during the course of the season would wear the Orange Cap while fielding, with the overall leading run-scorer at the conclusion of the tournament winning the actual Orange Cap award on the day of the season's final.
Brendon McCullum became the first player to wear the Orange Cap, and
Shaun Marsh became the first winner of the award. So far
David Warner has won the cap thrice followed by
Chris Gayle and
Virat Kohli who have won it twice. Kohli scored the most runs (973) in a single edition of the tournament in the
2016 season. The then IPL chairman and commissioner
Lalit Modi said of the initiative, "Cricket is often remembered and recorded as statistics and not by material distinctions. The DLF Indian Premier League will create a distinction for the best performing batsman, which will be cherished and valued by each player through this initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to be innovative, create another unique piece of history that sets the DLF Indian Premier League apart from the crowd, and to reward outstanding achievements by the players."
Kane Williamson was the only non - opener to win Orange Cap. == Purple Cap ==