Graeme Smith, the former captain of the South Africa men’s team, has thrown his weight behind Abhishek Sharma as a leading candidate for the IPL 2026 Orange Cap. Smith’s comments came with special mention of Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but he believes Abhishek’s role in the batting order gives him the clearest route to finishing as the tournament’s top run-getter. Both players have been in outstanding form during the ongoing season and remain firmly in contention for the prize for most runs.
Smith pointed to the current standings of the Orange Cap race. Abhishek is placed third with 475 runs from 11 matches, while Sooryavanshi sits fifth on 440 runs. The younger batter’s figures are made even more eye-catching by his strike rate of 236.55, underlining how quickly he has been accumulating runs. Smith also added context from international T20 cricket, noting that Abhishek’s recent T20 World Cup did not produce the kind of impact expected, yet he still sees him as having a strong chance to end IPL 2026 as the leading scorer.
In explaining why he is backing Abhishek, Smith argued that batters higher up the order typically receive more time at the crease. That extra exposure, he said, can make it easier to recover quickly after a dip in form—particularly on tracks that do not offer much assistance to bowlers. Smith said in his SA20 column: “We’re seeing a great race for the Orange Cap this season, and despite his struggles in the World Cup and the impressive (Vaibhav) Sooryavanshi, I think Abhishek Sharma will have the best chance. Those at the top of the order always have a longer time to bat, so any dip in form means you could have a chance to get it back quickly. I certainly think that’s the case on these flat pitches where there’s not a lot in the surface.”
Smith also highlighted the style of Abhishek’s batting, suggesting that his approach is more heavily weighted toward playing square of the wicket, particularly into the off-side. He further stressed that young players today carry confidence into their shots from the very start, saying: “Sharma plays a lot more square than most batters, certainly over the off-side. But there’s a lack of fear in the youngsters these days; there are so many across the board who are pinging it from the word go.”
As the Orange Cap battle develops, the top of the leaderboard is currently led by Heinrich Klaasen, who has amassed 494 runs. KL Rahul is second on 477 runs, keeping the race tightly packed behind them and setting up a fascinating contest among the leading run-getters.
Ashwin hails Sooryavanshi’s calm approach and fearless mindset
Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin praised Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the maturity he has shown despite his age. The Rajasthan Royals youngster, Ashwin said, has the ability to stay calculative rather than being rattled, and he manages to play without hesitation even when facing top-class bowlers. Ashwin also suggested that the left-handed batter should consider trying his hand in red-ball cricket, pointing to the benefits such experience can bring to a batter’s overall development.
Ashwin on JioHotstar’s ‘The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience’
Ashwin’s remarks were made during JioHotstar’s ‘The Ravichandran Ashwin Experience’. He recalled that Sooryavanshi made history as the youngest IPL player in terms of age, debuting at 14. His first appearance came against Lucknow Super Giants, and he marked his IPL start with a striking moment—hitting Shardul Thakur for a massive six on the very first ball he faced.
Ashwin also noted Sooryavanshi’s significance in his own IPL story, calling him his last wicket in the league. According to Ashwin, Sooryavanshi had scored a half-century against Chennai Super Kings at Delhi, adding another memorable chapter early in his top-level journey.
Since that debut phase, Sooryavanshi has continued to evolve into what Ashwin described as a more fearless performer. Ashwin pointed to the way the teenager has taken on elite bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Marco Jansen, and Arshdeep Singh. He emphasised that Sooryavanshi does not hold back on the boundaries, going after fours and sixes even when it means confronting the best bowlers from ball one rather than waiting for the right moment.
Speaking on the show, Ashwin said he was impressed by the adjustments Sooryavanshi makes in the middle of an over, even as a delivery is being bowled. He also expressed satisfaction at getting the wicket of a fearless prodigy, underlining how quickly Sooryavanshi has learned to adapt while staying aggressive.
