IPL 2020: 3 uncapped Indian bowlers who can win the purple cap

Indian Premier League (IPL) has given us many uncapped bowlers who became the mainstay for their teams. Over the years, bowlers like Mohit Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, Mayank Markande, Deepak Chahar, Siddharth Trivedi, Mohammed Siraj, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem have earned significant roles for their teams.

The uncapped bowlers might not be able to lead the attack for their franchise, but they give the important support to the spearheads by containing runs, picking important wickets, and maintaining the already built up pressure.

Here is a list of top three uncapped Indian players who can go on to win the purple cap in IPL 2020.

#3 Prasidh Krishna

KKR roped in Prasidh Krishna as a replacement

Prasidh Krishna is a fast bowler who was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2018 as a replacement to Kamlesh Nagarkoti who missed out due to injury. The Karnataka cricketer can click 140 kmph consistently and carries slower ball variations in his arsenal, which enables him to deceive the batsmen.

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Coming to his IPL stint with KKR, the 23-year-old had an impressive start to his career in 2018 where he picked 10 wickets from 7 matches. Though he went for over 9 runs an over, the grit he has shown by bowling at the death made him a key wicket-taker for KKR, especially when they lost Nagarkoti and Mitchell Starc due to different reasons.

Although Krishna had a poor 2019 season, his recent form has been exceptional in the domestic circuit. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019/20, he contributed heavily in Karnataka's title triumph by picking 17 wickets from 8 matches, including a match-winning five-wicket-haul against Assam.

His ability to bowl the difficult overs and pick crucial wickets might make him one of the uncapped players who can go on to win the purple cap this season.

Note: All statistics as of January 22, 2020

#2 Krishnappa Gowtham

Can Krishnappa Gowtham turn the tables in IPL 2020?

The off-spinner who plays for Karnataka is not a big turner of the ball but his accuracy makes him a useful T20 bowler. Krishnappa Gowtham had played for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise since IPL 2018 and has remained on the sidelines for a whole season with Mumbai Indians in 2017.

The 31-year-old hasn't made it big with RR yet, thereby causing the Jaipur-based franchise to trade him. Ahead of the IPL 2020 auction last month, Kings XI Punjab got him during the mid-season transfer and would be playing as their lead spinner. Just like KXIP's former skipper R. Ashwin, he might end up as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Another reason why Gowtham can become a purple cap winner is that he often bowls in the powerplays.

To add to the above factors, the off-spinner is in splendid form as he picked up an 8-wicket hall and smashed 134 off just 56 balls in the same match of the Karnataka Premier League and might extend his performances for the KXIP.

#1 Shreyas Gopal

Gopal will be a contender for the purple cap in IPL 2020

The leg spinner from Karnataka is one of the vastly experienced uncapped players moving into the next edition of IPL. Shreyas Gopal is perhaps one of the cricketers who can soon join the Indian camp if he extends the consistency that he has shown in the domestic circuit.

In an IPL career of 31 matches, the 26-year-old spinner has scalped 38 wickets at an economy rate of 7.50. In the last couple of years, he has become a go-to bowler for Rajasthan Royals and displayed his top performance in 2019 where the leggie picked 20 wickets and ended up as the Jaipur-based franchise's most successful bowler.

He has been in the form of his life for the past 12 months and exhibited the same in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019/20 where he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker, thereby playing a key role in Karnataka's title triumph.

Coming to IPL 2020, RR will bank on Gopal to provide them breakthroughs in the middle overs and considering his form of late, he might wear that purple cap.