‘Abhishek will have the best chance’: Graeme Smith backs SRH opener to claim Orange Cap Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain and SA20 League commissioner, has expressed confidence that Abhishek Sharma will emerge as the leading run-scorer in the Indian Premier League 2026, despite Heinrich Klaasen currently leading the Orange Cap race. Smith highlighted Sharma’s position as an opener as a key advantage, arguing that the modern IPL’s batting conditions and the extended time at the top of the order favor players like Sharma over middle-order batters such as Klaasen. Klaasen, who has scored 494 runs at an average of 54.88 in the tournament, remains a formidable contender, but Smith believes Sharma’s ability to adapt to flat pitches and his consistent performance could shift the balance. Sharma, with 475 runs at 47.50, is closing the gap, and Smith emphasized that openers often have more opportunities to accumulate runs, making them more resilient to dips in form. “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,” Smith explained in his SA20 column. Smith also praised Sharma’s technical approach, noting that the left-hander’s tendency to play more square than most batters, particularly over the off-side, has been a strength. He contrasted this with the fearless aggression of younger players, who often dominate early in matches. “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,” he added. While supporting Sharma, Smith acknowledged Klaasen’s resurgence after a less impactful SA20 season, where he managed only 138 runs for Durban’s Super Giants.#abhishek_sharma #heinrich_klaasen #donovan_ferreira #graeme_smith #sa20_league
