IPL 2021: Predicting the 5 bowlers who can have the best economy rates in death overs

The importance of death bowling in T20 cricket can't be over-emphasized, and many of the highly-ranked teams have some top-notch death bowlers in their ranks. This is true for the IPL as well, a league where quite a few franchises have succeeded in solving the death bowling puzzle. Their rivals, however, still struggle to contain the runs in the end overs.

Year after year, death bowlers, mostly pacers, go for a lot of money in the auction, and that shows how desperate franchises are to sort out this crucial area. We've seen some exceptional death bowling performances in the IPL, and we've also seen some shoddy death bowling that has cost teams playoff spots or even the title.

On that note, let's now try to predict five bowlers who'll have the best economy rate in the all-important death overs.

Note: Overs 16-20 have been considered as death overs here.

Honorable Mentions: Rashid Khan (if he does bowl at the death), Nathan Coulter-Nile, and T Natarajan.

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#5 Varun Chakravarthy (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Varun Chakravarthy even picked up a five-wicket haul last season. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

This one is as much a suggestion as it is a prediction. Varun Chakravarthy rewarded the KKR management's faith in him in IPL 2020 and emerged as the highest wicket-taker for the side. With 17 wickets in 13 matches at a miserly economy rate of 6.84, Chakravarthy was one of the positives in a pretty sub-par season for KKR.

What was more impressive about his performance was his courage to bowl the tougher overs. While he usually bowled in the middle overs, he shone in the few opportunities he got bowling at the death. With Sunil Narine not likely to be a part of their first-choice playing XI, Varun is an able death bowling option for them to consider.

KKR plays three games in Chennai and four games in Ahmedabad, and both are spin-friendly venues for IPL 2021. On such surfaces, Varun, with his many variations and accuracy, could prove very effective.

KKR's death bowling was woeful last season, with Andre Russell and Lockie Ferguson emerging as the most dependable in their squad. However, with Russell's workload needing some management and Lockie unlikely to be a part of their playing XI, Varun is a great alternative to consider.

He's not only a defensive option but is also certain to pick up more wickets if he bowls at the death. So, while he isn't an established death bowler yet, Varun Chakravarthy has the potential to become one, and he certainly will have a great economy rate if he does bowl in those overs.

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#4 Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals)

Chris Morris had an economy rate of just 6.63 last season.

While the last one involved considerable elaboration on my part, this one is much easier. Chris Morris had a solid season with the ball for RCB and he did a pretty good job bowling in the death. This season, there will be a lot of pressure on him since he comes into this tournament with a ₹16.25 crore price tag.

He'll also have to lead RR's pace battery with ace bowler Jofra Archer likely to miss out due to injury. Different people have different opinions on whether or not Morris will be able to handle the pressure, but his impressive numbers in T20 cricket suggest that he will.

Morris has a career economy of 7.81 in the IPL, and lots of those overs have come at the death. He has played over 223 T20 games and is just the experienced presence that RR needs.

Yes, RR plays ten of their fourteen games in venues that batters will favor (Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore). However, Morris's experience and skill should ensure that he finishes among the top death bowlers this season.

#3 Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals)

Rabada won the Purple Cap in IPL 2020. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

The Purple Cap winner of IPL 2020 was also one of the best death bowlers in the league. Kagiso Rabada picked up 30 wickets in 17 games last season, and a majority of those came in the death overs. Picking up scalps in the death overs to reduce the scoring rate was how he did it, and it was pretty effective for DC.

He has a fiery yorker and a mean slower ball, but it's the hard length and the short ball that he prefers to employ during the death. He looks to make the batsman play a loose shot in search of a wicket, and on occasion that results in a top edge flying above the keeper or an outside edge that flies past him.

However, overall, his execution during the death overs is pretty immaculate, and he only seems to be getting better every season. His lack of finesse and variations in comparison to other bowlers is the reason why I'm placing him at number three, but he's sure to have a good economy rate bowling at the death in IPL 2021.

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#2 Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians)

Jasprit Bumrah has been exceptional for MI. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Jasprit Bumrah is arguably the best death bowler in the league, and his stats back him up. With an IPL career economy of 7.41, Bumrah is easily one of the best bowlers in IPL history. He has restricted countless opponents at the death and has held his nerve to bowl some of the most crucial overs in the competition.

He also had a great IPL 2020 and could've ended up with the Purple Cap if he had played a couple of more games. With 27 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.55, Bumrah had a brilliant season with the ball and was supported well by Trent Boult.

With Coulter-Nile to bowl alongside him at the death, Bumrah and MI certainly have their bases covered. However, he does tend to get a bit unlucky on occasions, as his extra pace sometimes leads to batters getting edges that fly away to the fence.

He has also been out of action for quite a while now and might take some time to get back in his stride. Nevertheless, he's sure to be among the top five bowlers who have the best economy in the death overs.

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#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Bhuvi's return to fitness is a major boost for SRH. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's injury in IPL 2020 might have been a blessing in disguise for SRH and Indian cricket as it helped unearth a gem in T Natarajan. However, a fully fit Bhuvi could team up with Natarajan to make batting difficult for the opposition during the death.

With an IPL career economy of 7.23, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been slightly more miserly than Bumrah. Considering that SRH plays nine of their fourteen games at sluggish venues (Chennai, Ahmedabad), Bhuvi's slightly lesser pace will reduce the chances of him conceding runs off the edges.

He's also in scintillating form and was at his accurate best in the limited-overs leg of England's tour of India. Expect him to deliver the goods for SRH once more in IPL 2021.