The IPL 2023 league round finished on Sunday, May 21, with the Royal Challengers Bangalore losing to the reigning champions Gujarat Titans in Bangalore. After ending with 14 points in four games, RCB was eliminated from the league stage for the first time in four seasons. Gujarat Titans Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Mumbai Indians were the four teams to secure playoff positions.
Despite losing out on playoff qualifying, RCB captain Faf du Plessis has been on a run scoring spree, accumulating 730 runs in 14 matches. This puts him at the top of the Orange Cap standings, 50 runs ahead of second placed Shubman Gill.
While the list is changeable and du Plessis might be shifted from first position ,it is uncommon to find the team with the Orange Cap eliminated from qualifying for the Playoffs.
The team having the Orange Cap has only won the IPL title twice in 15 years, but has qualified for the playoffs in 12 seasons.
Here are the three times an Orange Cap team failed to qualify for the Playoffs:
1) KL Rahul, IPL 2020 (Punjab Kings)
KL Rahul of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) was the last Orange Cap winner who didn’t qualify for playoffs in 2020.
The 31 year old was named captain ahead of the season. He did not disappoint with the bat, amassing 670 runs with a strike rate of 129.34 and an average of 55.83.
PBKS finished sixth in the points table, winning only six of their 14 games, despite Rahul’s great season with the bat.
KL Rahul scored more than 550 runs for the PBKS for the third consecutive season, although the team failed to qualify for the playoffs on each occasion.
Rahul was eventually released by the team, and the right-handed opener has been captain of the Lucknow Super Giants since the 2022 season.
2) David Warner, IPL 2015 (SunRisers Hyderabad)
David Warner joined the SunRisers Hyderabad after five seasons with the now defunct Delhi Daredevils from 2008 to 2013. Warner had a strong debut season with SRH in 2014. He scored 528 runs in 14 matches, although the team did not make the playoffs.
He maintained his form after being named SRH captain in 2015, amassing 562 runs in 14 games and won the Orange Cap.
Despite Warner’s heroics, SRH fell short of qualifying for playoffs for the second consecutive season, finishing with 14 points.
In 2016, the 36 year old finally made it into the playoffs with SRH, guiding them to their first title. He scored 848 runs in 17 games.
David Warner was crucial in SRH qualifying for the playoffs for five straight seasons(2016-2020), including earning the Orange cap again in 2017 and 2019.
The quick opener was with SRH till 2021 before joining the Delhi Capitals last season.
3) Chris Gayle, IPL 2012 (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Despite earning the Orange hat in the 2012 season, Chris Gayle became the first player in IPL history to fail to qualify for the playoffs.
The West Indian batsman got off to a flying start with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, amassing 608 runs in 12 games. He got his maiden Orange Cap. Gayle’s amazing season had two centuries and three fifties as he led RCB to the 2011 season final.
Gayle had an even stronger batting season in 2012, scoring 733 runs in 15 matches with an average of 61.04 and a strike rate of 160.74. As a result, Gayle became the first player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap in consecutive seasons.
Despite the remarkable season of the 43 year old, RCB ended barely outside the playoff bracket with 17 points in 16 games.
