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The 13^th and 2020 edition of IPL is all set to commence from September 19 this year. The event is scheduled to be take place in United Arab Emirates where the pitches closely resemble the kinds that are prepared in India. A good number of batsmen taking part in the league would be looking forward to put their firepower on display.

We took stock of all the batsmen expected to join the action and have attempted shortlisting four possible contenders for the Orange Cap in the upcoming tournament. It’s worth noting that each one of these players is not just a huge favourite in the real sports betting world, but in the virtual sports betting markets too. Below are our picks:

Virat Kohli

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore had a fairly average IPL 2019 irrespective of scoring a 100. Looking back, he actually found his touch only towards the end of that event, and by that time RCB was pushed far below many teams in the table. However, Virat Kohli continues to be a force to reckon with in all three formats of the game. He still holds the record for scoring maximum number of runs, 973 to be precise (in IPL 2016) in any single IPL. Kohli is very capable of repeating that performance and would be itching to go after the bowlers. Therefore, he is definitely a strong contender for Orange Cap in IPL 2020.

Rohit Sharma

Just like Kohli, Sharma too had an average IPL 2019 with the bat. In fact, he never really came across as being present at the crease. But he was completely on the money when it came to the captainship responsibilities, something that was good enough to land Mumbai Indians their 4^th IPL title. Unlike Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has never managed to win the Orange Cap in IPL. In fact, the only batsman in Mumbai Indians who has ever won an Orange Cap is none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Rohit would be looking forward to correct that anomaly and also win another IPL title for Mumbai in the process.

David Warner

IPL’s Orange Cap and David Warner are no strangers to each other! In fact, the Australian has won it thrice, more than any other player in the history of the tournament – in 2019, 2017 and 2015, having scored 692 runs, 641 runs and 562 runs respectively. Chris Gayle comes close second with two Orange Caps. Warner, who is also the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad has been in excellent nick and would be very keen on winning it the fourth time too.

KL Rahul

Ever since he joined Kings XI Punjab, KL Rahul has become a completely different player. He will be captaining the Punjab side in IPL 2020 and would be eager to lead from the front in the batting department. The talented batsman has the mental strength to handle the pressure of being their captain as well as premier batsman, and would be hoping to help them win their maiden IPL title in UAE. An Orange Cap would undoubtedly be the perfect icing on the cake!

One of the greatest cricketers of all time, Shane Warne, is also known to be a keen gambler and poker player. There could be a reason why the Australian legend made the switch to the cards after retiring, as the two pastimes share a lot of similarities. There are times during a cricket match when players need to display mental resilience and other occasions when they are required to make calculated risks. There is certainly something to be said for a winning streak bringing about more confidence and allowing players to push on to greater things.

Many young aspiring cricketers will have watched Ben Stokes’ heroic performance in the third Ashes test against Australia and decided they wanted to be just like the 28-year-old. Stokes singlehandedly pulled England back from an impossible situation to claim victory in that match, and he did it through gambling and riding his luck. There are only a select few players throughout history who spring to mind when thinking about who may be capable of such a feat. The likes of Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff could have done the same, perhaps, but it could never have been done by a conservative batsman like Michael Atherton or Geoffrey Boycott.

During that incredible innings, Stokes had to go against the traditional form of test match batting which normally requires batsmen to play defensively and wait for the right moment to pull off strokes. Instead, he had to take risks to make sure he was on strike more often than the inexperienced and weaker batsmen, Jack Leach. That last wicket partnership between the two was 76, with Leach scoring one run.

Aggressive batsmen such as Stokes, AB De Villiers, and Chris Gayle tend to grow into the game and look to pull off more impressive shots as they go deeper into an innings. Gamblers play roulette, blackjack, and pokies in a similar way. Many players feel that when they are on a winning streak, the best way to continue to win pokies is to ride that luck and increase the bet sizing. When a batsman is settled at the crease and has scored at least fifty runs, they may feel that this is the time to go for the more ambitious drives and cuts.

Bowlers often need to gamble and take risks as well. When they aren’t having any luck at taking a wicket, the bowler often needs to mix up his choice of delivery. This is especially true for spin bowlers like Adil Rashid, who need to identify the right time to throw in a googly or a flipper.

Just like gamblers, cricketers can get into the zone when they are settled at the crease or after they have bowled a few successful overs. Sometimes, it seems that riding a winning streak is the best way to get good results.