When it comes to big cricket tournaments, bowlers play a crucial role in how a team performs. If bowlers are on the song, then no one can stop the team from winning the championship.
And this is true to some extent in the IPL as well. Thus, teams always load up with the best bowlers who are potential wicket-takers. This results in bowlers climbing up the ladder and staying in the race to claim the Purple Cap at the end.
With IPL 2025 around the corner, here’s our prediction on the top five wicket-takers this season.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy is in some damn good form since last year. In the last IPL season, he was Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) highest wicket-taker, with 21 scalps in 14 innings.
Chakravarthy fell short of the Purple Cap by four wickets. Nonetheless, he was a vital cog in KKR claiming their third IPL title.
Thanks to the sensational performance, Chakravarthy returned to India’s white-ball setup and continued to impress with his mystery spin. His skills were on display in the recently concluded Champions Trophy.
You can expect Chakravarthy to continue with his leg spin magic in IPL 2025 to win the Purple Cap.
Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t need any introduction. He is an instant lock in every T20 team. And no wonder Bumrah is Mumbai Indians’ backbone.
The right-arm pacer has been out of action since the start of this year with a back injury. And he may miss a couple of matches for MI this season.
But once Bumrah returns to action, don’t rule him out to catch up with other bowlers. He can be a headache for batters with his accurate lines and lengths.
Also Read | List: Indian Bowlers to Achieve the No. 1 ICC Test Bowling Ranking
Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana continues to be the talk of the town after a remarkable season last year. He was the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker, with 19 scalps in 11 innings.
Rana was truly a find of the season, as he soon got an India call-up. And in his short international stint thus far, he has impressed everyone.
The right-arm pacer can bowl at extreme speed, extract good bounce, and use variations to trouble batters. This will help him fetch many wickets for KKR in IPL 2025 and hopefully, the Purple Cap.
Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh was level with Rana on the wickets count last season. He was Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) second-highest wicket-taker.
Arshdeep has been a consistent bowler for PBKS for the last few years. He can be impactful at the start with the new ball and then send down perfect yorkers in death overs to control the run-scoring.
As he returns for another season, he would like to keep up his momentum and stay on course to win the Purple Cap.
Rashid Khan
Ever since Rashid Khan entered the IPL in 2017, he has been a steady performer. Except for the last season, he has taken more than 15 scalps in each season from 2017 to 2023.
Rashid was even close to the Purple Cap in 2023, as he wrapped up the season with 27 wickets, joint-second most with Mohit Sharma. Everyone expected him to repeat the same performance last season, but things didn’t pan out for him.
Now, Rashid seems to have picked up form and is set to claim his first Purple Cap. He can be a threat on Indian pitches, which offer help to spinners.
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