IPL 2018: Bowlers who could finish with most wickets for their respective teams

The most exciting cricketing league is set to return for its 11th edition this year. Current champions Mumbai Indians are set to face off against the team with the highest fan following, Chennai Super Kings, in the first game of the season.

While everyone is eagerly waiting for the latest IPL season to commence, let us have a look at the strike bowlers for each team.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine has proven to be a perennial thorn in the flesh for IPL teams over the years, and is in fine form this year, having already taken bucket loads of wickets in the WI domestic competitions and PSL. He also has the lowest economy rate in the history of IPL, a miserly 6.32, and is sure to mesmerize the batsmen yet again this season with his wide array of tricks.

Rajasthan Royals: Jofra Archer

West Indian-born Jofra Archer, currently aiming to be eligible to represent England, has already made the cricketing world sit up and take notice with stunning performances for the Hobart Hurricanes during the recent Big Bash season.

On top of that, he has already received high praise, with the like of Dale Steyn labelling him one for the future. This will surely inspire him to prove himself on one of the biggest stages in world cricket, and hence he is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the Purple Cap the last two seasons. Having first arrived on the international scene as a medium-pace swing bowler, he soon realized the need to improve his skills to be seen as a real threat and subsequently reinvented himself as a fast bowler with improved death bowling skills.

This has led to him becoming an integral part of the Sunrisers’ bowling attack, regularly delivering impressive yorkers and slower knuckleballs at the death to lead Hyderabad to victories. He’ll be a vital part of the Hyderabad team this season as well, and along with his elevated responsibility as vice-captain, he’s sure to be hungrier than ever to feast on the opposition batsmen.

Delhi Daredevils: Kagiso Rabada

Rabada, currently the No.1 Test bowler in the world, is the latest in a long line of impressive fast bowlers produced by South Africa. He has had an impressive start to his Test career and is en route to becoming one of the legends of the game.

However, despite possessing all the key ingredients required for a fast bowler to be successful, he has yet to set alight the T20 arena, which he’ll be looking forward to doing this season. Under the guidance of current Indian spearhead Mohammed Shami and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Rabada is all set to have a blockbuster IPL season.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Chris Woakes

And now we come to the first surprise selection. While some may be slightly baffled by this selection, Chris Woakes has time and again proven to be a highly successful limited overs bowler for England, twice defending meagre totals in the last over against the highly lauded skills of CSK skipper MS Dhoni and SRH skipper Kane Williamson.

While he didn’t exactly star for KKR last season, he was part of the quartet who dismissed, ironically, Royal Challengers Bangalore for 49. He’s also coming into this season on the back of a Man of the Series award in the recent ODI series against New Zealand.

Kings XI Punjab: Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Perhaps the most surprising selection, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the Afghanistan off-spinner still in his teens, could be the dark horse of the IPL. He recently led Afghanistan U19’s charge to the semi-finals and also opened the bowling for the side in their successful CWC Qualifiers campaign.

He has already troubled the best batsmen in the world, recently bamboozling his new Kings XI Punjab teammate Chris Gayle. He is poised to achieve similar success in his debut IPL season as his compatriot Rashid Khan did last year.

Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Bravo

The Purple Cap winner of the 2014 & 2016 seasons, Dwayne Bravo is a highly accomplished bowler, and a veteran in the T20 circuit, having played 375 matches and taken more than 400 wickets, becoming the first to reach the latter milestone in the recent Big Bash season.

Now that he's back playing for his favourite team, Chennai Super Kings, he’s sure to be fired up and ready to lead them to yet another IPL trophy.

Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah

Not only is Jasprit Bumrah the most likely candidate to top the wicket-takers chart for his team, he’s also a serious contender for the Purple Cap. He has witnessed a phenomenal rise over the past couple of years, having reached the summit of both the T20I and ODI rankings for bowlers in the past 12 months.

He is, at present, one of the best death over bowlers going around. His unerring accuracy and searing yorkers have made him virtually unhittable. He’s arguably Mumbai Indians’ most important player, even ahead of the likes of captain Rohit Sharma and the Pandya brothers. He is the key to Mumbai’s fortunes and his performances would decide Mumbai's fate this season.