5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021

The Purple Cap is a dream for every bowler in the IPL. The bowler who has the most wickets after every franchise has played its opening game of the season becomes the first player to receive the IPL Purple Cap. Soon, the competition for the award becomes more intense as the tournament progresses. Eventually, the bowler with the maximum wickets gets the Purple Cap award at the closing ceremony.

So far, only three bowlers winning the Purple Cap have lifted the IPL trophy in the same season. Sohail Tanvir and RP Singh did so in the first two seasons, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar achieved this feat in 2016. Last year, Kagiso Rabada accounted for the most wickets, but his team finished second.

With IPL 2021 almost upon us, here are the top five contenders for the prestigious Purple Cap.

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5. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan has achieved incredible success in the game's shortest format. The Afghan leg-spinner holds the top spot in the ICC T20I Rankings for bowlers. Even in the IPL, Khan has been the most successful player from his country.

The leg-spin bowler has represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2017. In 62 games for the Orange Army, Khan has scalped 75 wickets at an economy rate of 6.25.

In IPL 2020, Rashid conceded runs at an economy rate of just 5.38 runs per over. Rashid Khan has a tendency to frustrate batsmen with dot balls before they eventually end up gifting their wickets.

Khan picked up 20 wickets in 16 outings last year. Because of his consistency in T20 cricket, he will start as one of the favorites to win the Purple Cap in 2021.

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4. Pat Cummins

Before IPL Auction 2021, Pat Cummins was the most expensive overseas signing in IPL history. The Kolkata Knight Riders secured his services for a whopping ₹15.5 crore at IPL Auction 2020.

Unfortunately, Cummins could not justify his price tag in the UAE last year. He played all 14 league matches, picking up 12 wickets at an average of 34.08. Given how talented Cummins is, the fans are backing him to perform better in IPL 2021.

Cummins has a bowling strike rate of 17.84 in T20 internationals. If he can pick up wickets with such consistency in IPL 2021, the Aussie will likely take the Purple Cap home.

3. Yuzvendra Chahal

In the previous 13 seasons, only one leg-spinner has won the IPL Purple Cap. South Africa's Imran Tahir bagged the prize after accounting for 27 wickets in IPL 2019.

Interestingly, only one Indian spin bowler has taken the Purple Cap home in the last 13 years. Pragyan Ojha is the only Indian spinner present on the list of IPL Purple Cap winners. Ojha picked 21 wickets in 16 matches for the Deccan Chargers during the 2010 season.

Among the current Indian spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal is the top contender to end IPL 2021 with the most wickets. Chahal has a six-wicket haul to his name in T20Is. He also finished fifth on the IPL 2020 bowlers' leaderboard.

If he keeps up his consistency, Chahal could become the first Royal Challengers Bangalore player to win the Purple Cap.

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2. Trent Boult

Trent Boult had his best IPL season in the United Arab Emirates last year. Boult joined the Mumbai Indians during the trade window, where he displayed a solid partnership with Jasprit Bumrah in the pace attack.

The Kiwi speedster finished third in the race to the Purple Cap last year. He played two games less than Purple Cap recipient Kagiso Rabada. Still, Boult claimed 25 wickets at a strike rate of 13.76.

Boult is expected to put up similar numbers once again this season, making him a strong contender to win the Purple Cap.

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1. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah will be fresh in IPL 2021, which is why he will be the top player in the race to the Purple Cap

Last year's winner Kagiso Rabada does not feature on this list because he may miss a few games in IPL 2021.

Hence, previous season's runner-up Jasprit Bumrah will enter IPL 2021 as the hot favorite to win the Purple Cap. Jasprit narrowly missed out on the award last year.

The Mumbai Indians star picked up 27 wickets in 15 matches. His bowling average was better than Rabada's, while his strike rate was marginally lower. Bumrah had his most successful IPL season in 2020. If he can replicate the same in 2021, no one can stop him from seizing his first Purple Cap trophy.