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Rabada Takes Purple Cap Lead, Gill Climbs Orange Cap Race in IPL 2026

Lakshmi · 10/05/2026 · 3 min read

Cricket fans tuning into the Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) clash in IPL 2026 weren’t just treated to a fireworks-laden contest—they also witnessed major shifts at the top of both the Orange and Purple Cap leaderboards. The action-packed game delivered high drama, record-chasing performances, and serious momentum swings in the season’s most prestigious individual honors.

Purple Cap Race: Rabada Reclaims the Spotlight

Kagiso Rabada has sent a clear message to the league: he’s not just back, he’s leading the charge. With two crucial wickets under his belt in the GT vs RR encounter, Rabada now tops the Purple Cap standings with 18 wickets—an achievement that brings back memories of his dominant 2020 campaign with Delhi Capitals, where he finished with 30 wickets to claim the coveted award.

Rabada’s resurgence has been both timely and clinical. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Anshul Kamboj (Chennai Super Kings) remain close behind with 17 wickets each, their progress was halted as Rabada leapfrogged both with consistent pressure and execution.

Jofra Archer, RR’s spearhead, endured a rare off-night with no wickets to show for his effort. That leaves him stranded on 15 scalps, level with Eshan Malinga of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants’ Prince Yadav—but with Rashid Khan storming into contention.

The GT leg-spinner turned the tide with a sensational four-wicket haul against RR, lifting his tally to 15 wickets at an outstanding economy rate of 8.26. That figure edges out Archer’s 9.12, making Rashid not just a key contributor but a rising threat in the race.

Orange Cap: Gill Ignites the Run Chase

While the bowling charts were reshuffled, the batting stakes got even tighter. Heinrich Klaasen (SRH), Abhishek Sharma (SRH), and KL Rahul (DC) held firm in the top three of the Orange Cap race with 494, 475, and 468 runs respectively. But just beneath, the battle for position intensified.

Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill delivered a masterclass, slamming 84 runs off just 44 balls to anchor GT’s massive total of 229 for 4. That innings lifted him to 462 runs for the season, slotting him into fourth place—dangerously close to the summit.

His opening partner, B Sai Sudharsan, added 55 off 36, bringing his season tally to 440 runs and landing him in sixth spot. But RR’s own sparkster, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, matched that exact number—440 runs—after a blistering 36 off 16. However, Sooryavanshi holds the edge in strike rate: a staggering 236.55 compared to Sudharsan’s 157.70, making him one of the most explosive hitters this season.

The Road Ahead: Sunday’s Double Header Could Flip Everything

With crucial matchups on the horizon—CSK vs LSG followed by RCB vs Mumbai Indians—the next 24 hours could reshape the standings dramatically. Bowlers like Kamboj and Bhuvneshwar will look to reclaim the top spot, while batters from the chasing teams have a golden chance to close the gap on Klaasen and Abhishek.

For now, Kagiso Rabada wears the Purple Cap with authority, and Shubman Gill looms large on the Orange Cap horizon. But in the IPL, momentum is king—and tomorrow’s heroes could be today’s footnotes.