The IPL, since it’s inaugural edition, has focused heavily on batsmen. The likes of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina have all found their true calling in this slam-bang in India’s premier T20 tournament. Batting records galore have tumbled over the years, but the bowlers have largely gone unnoticed. Since the inaugural edition, IPL has pioneered the concept of the Orange and the Purple Cap, for the highest run getters and wicket takers respectively.
The IPL has given an opportunity to many a bowler to carve a lasting niche in the pages of T20 cricket. Whilst purple cap winners like Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo have gone on to become superstars whilst other winners such as Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh have now faded into obscurity. This tournament has also seen others like Mohit Sharma break into the Indian Playing XI after a stellar 2014 season.
The value of bowlers has surely seen rise exponentially after this year’s edition which saw arguably the best bowling side of the tournament grab the winner’s prize. Whilst many as mentioned have celebrated their exploits with the ball with a purple cap at the end of the tournament, some were not so lucky. Here, Sportskeeda lists the 5 best IPL bowlers to have never won the Purple Cap, despite being a crucial cog in their team’s wheels.
#1 Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn has been a phenomenon of fast bowling over the past decade, and his arsenal of outswingers was on full display in India during his tenure with the Deccan Chargers. He began his IPL career in a 2008 RCB squad heavily reliant on Test players, but he found his true calling when he moved to Hyderabad franchises, first Deccan Chargers and then the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Although he may be past his prime, his IPL record on the flat highways of India is not to be scoffed at.
He has made the likes of Rohit Sharma look pedestrian in his heyday, but has unfortunately missed out in the past couple of seasons in favour of Mustaifzur Rahman (at SRH) or Dwayne Smith (GL). Nonetheless, statistics show that he has been one the greatest fast bowlers this tournament has seen.Franchises : RCB, DC, SRH, GLBest IPL moment :
Dale Steyn was breathing fire down batsmen’s necks in a thrilling 2012 season, where he averaged an unreal 15.83 runs per wicket. Deccan Chargers were defending a paltry 138 against Mumbai Indians in the 9th match, and the odds were stacked heavily against Steyn’s South African team-mate and the MI opener Richard Levi.
The 4th over of the run chase saw six deliveries of high-class fast bowling, as Steyn went short, short, slow and full, bouncer, short and then finished off Levi’s tumultous stay at the crease with a toe crushing yorker of the final ball. It was a textbook set up of an opening batsman. A wicket maiden was delivered, MI were 10/2 after 4 overs, and Steyn’s bloodthirsty eyes and trademark machine gun celebrations were back.
IPL Record:
Matches : 90Wickets : 92ER : 6.72Best figures : 3/8
#2 Ravichandran Ashwin
India’s premier spinner was discovered in the IPL’s nascent stages by the CSK scouts, and he honed his skills under Dhoni’s leadership to become one of the most threatening spinners in the world. His poor showing in IPL 2016 notwithstanding, Ashwin has always been a valuable member of any side he’s been a part of.
He uses his variations – the carrom ball, the leg spinner and the ‘finger flicked’ quicker delivery to good effect to bamboozle the batsman. His resurgence as a Test spinner in the past couple of years has heightened the expectations levied on him, and it is up to him to deliver victories for the Pune franchise next season.Franchises : CSK, RPSBest IPL moment:
For all the criticisms levied on Ashwin for an off-colour, below par 2016 season, R Ashwin saved his best for the last. With some classical off spin bowling, bereft of too many changes or differences in action that had proved to be his undoing in the past, Ashwin turned in a quality four over spell of bowling against Kings XI Punjab in RPS’ last league match of the season.
He dismissed two excellent players of spin bowling in Amla and the in form Murali Vijay; and did so via the conventional flight and dip; while continuing to spin a web around David Miller. Although the match will be remembered for Dhoni’s frantic last ball six off Axar Patel, the match would have done R Ashwin’s confidence a world of good.
IPL Record:
Matches : 111Wickets : 100ER : 6.54Best figures : 4/34
#3 Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra, once the butt of jokes, made a spectacular comeback to the Indian team at the start of this year – and that was on the back of some stellar IPL performances for the now defunct CSK franchise over the past couple of seasons. His deadly accuracy and swing made him a tricky customer in the powerplays, where he has been one of the most successful this year.
The left-armer's advice and mentorship was key for Buvneshwar Kumar, Mustafizur Rahman and Barinder Sran’s improvement; which helped them carry forward the mantle once Nehra got injured and deliver a victory for the SRH franchise. At 37, his second coming appears all the more astonishing, and one hopes that he recovers from his knee injury soon to play for the Men in Blue again.Franchises : MI, DD, PWI, CSK, SRHBest IPL moment:
You’re playing the explosive team of the tournament, on their home ground – a batting paradise. You have a par score to defend, but you’re up against three of the best T20 batsmen the sport has ever seen. Lesser bowlers may have chosen to go the containing route, but Ashish Nehra turned in a match winning performance of 4-10 to seal victory for CSK against RCB in the 8th edition of the IPL.
With CSK defending 181, Nehra struck twice in the Powerplay, including the wicket of the threatening Manvinder Bisla, before coming back in the 17th over to nip Virat Kohli’s challenge in the bud. If it hadn’t been for Raina’s pyrotechnics in the first innings, this was sure to have been a Man of The Match worthy display. It may also have been the match that would’ve helped the selectors give this veteran a second chance.
IPL Record:
Matches : 82Wickets : 98ER : 7.74Best figures : 4/10
#4 Sunil Narine
If there is one bowler other than Lasith Malinga who is a shoe-in the playing XI of their team, irrespective of the opposition or playing conditions, it is Sunil Narine. Possibly one of the smartest auction buys ever, Narine almost single handedly turned KKR’s fortunes around in the 2012 season which they went on to win. His wicket-to-wicket line, subtle changes in pace and an unflappable demeanour under pressure made him the go-to man for Gautam Gambhir.
Narine’s mystery had been deciphered by few – Maybe only Rohit Sharma can stake claim to that – and his perplexing variations have come on full display on the slow and low Eden Gardens pitch. He also rose above criticisms surrounding his bowling action and was as miserly as ever in the 2016 IPL. Rarely has one man been responsible for a team’s fortunes as much as Sunil Narine has.Franchises : KKRBest IPL moment
A true testament to Sunil Narine’s value to the KKR franchise was on display during the 44th match of the 2015 IPL season, between KKR and Kings XI Punjab. Punjab’s openers had blazed away in a start of 45/0 after 5 overs, before Gambhir called on Narine – who promptly castled Murali Vijay with a quicker delivery. Another partnership developed, Narine was beckoned, and he got the second wicket of Manan Vohra too.
All the other KKR bowlers were leaking runs galore, and with Maxwell getting into his groove, the match was quickly slipping away from KKR at 143/2 after 16 overs. Narine was called on, and he delivered yet again, dismissing Maxwell and Wriddhiman Saha in the same over. Punjab’s run rate was an astronomical 9.06, and Narine’s economy rate, amongst all the carnage unfolding at the other end – a paltry 4.75. The champion had lorded over Eden Gardens.
IPL record:
Matches : 66Wickets : 85ER : 6.18Best figures : 5/19
#5 Amit Mishra
Amit Mishra can easily be given the appellation of the bowlers’ Suresh Raina, for he is IPL’s star; but ordinary in the international arena. His IPL exploits has seen him bag three hattricks and also bag the highest number of wickets for an Indian. He has befuddled those who keenly watch him bowling in the international arena.
Franchises : DD, DC, SRHBest IPL moment:
Circa 2013. Pune Warriors India are coasting home against Sunrisers Hyderabad, needing 19 off 19 to ace a 120 run chase. After Mitchell Marsh and Nayar fell swinging wildly to Steyn and Perera, the Amit Mishra show took over. In a masterclass display of flight and leg spin, he foxed Angelo Mathews with a loopy delivery, to have him caught at long on.
In a moment of collective brain fade, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played for turn to a googly to depart lbw and Mishra completed the hat-trick, and an unbelievable 11 run win with one more googly, as Ashok Dinda too pushed for a legbreak. Mishra's figures read 4-0-19-4 and came after his 30 off 24 had stretched Sunrisers to 119 for 8 from 44 for 6. It remains one of the greatest heists this tournament has ever witnessed.
IPL record
Matches : 112Wickets : 124ER : 7.27Best figures : 5/17
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