Why Aakash Chopra is backing Rashid Khan to be IPL 2021’s Purple Cap winner 

Aakash Chopra has backed Rashid Khan to be the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2021. The cricketer-turned-commentator also feels Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be the fast bowlers in the running for the Purple Cap.

The former batsman was asked to predict the Orange and Purple Cap winners ahead of IPL 2021. Aakash Chopra named Sunrisers Hyderabad leg-spinner Rashid Khan as his first choice to be IPL 2021’s leading wicket-taker.

“I am going with Rashid Khan. His chances of picking the most wickets are bright this season. Amongst the fast bowlers, you could look at Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” Chopra said.

A new celebration incoming and some personal chat between @rashidkhan_19 and @IamAbhiSharma4 😁The magician was live and answered some questions from the #OrangeArmy 🧡#OrangeOrNothing #SRHQuarantime pic.twitter.com/91aJTQTdmn

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 29, 2021

Aakash Chopra also explained why he thinks Rashid Khan will win the Purple Cap in IPL 2021.

“I am going with Rashid Khan because his first five games are in Chennai. Then he plays four in Delhi. He is playing nine out of 14 games on spin-friendly wickets. He would be feeling that he has won a lottery. Should be getting two to three wickets every game,” he added.

Rashid Khan finished with 20 wickets at a stunning economy of 5.37 in IPL 2020. However, he was 10 wickets shy of IPL 2020 Purple Cap winner Kagiso Rabada, who had 30 scalps to his name.

The Afghanistan leg-spinner has never won the Purple Cap in his IPL career. His best season was in 2018, when he picked up 21 wickets.

Aakash Chopra also predicts IPL 2021 Orange Cap winner

Most runs in IPL history:🔴 Virat Kohli - 5,878 @ 38.16🟡 Suresh Raina - 5,368 @ 33.34🟠 David Warner - 5,254 @ 42.71🔵 Rohit Sharma - 5,230 @ 31.31⚫ Shikhar Dhawan - 5,197 @ 34.41🔴 AB de Villiers - 4,849 @ 40.40Will one of them win the Orange Cap in #IPL2021? pic.twitter.com/LtVCWN3msF

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) March 30, 2021

Aakash Chopra also predicted IPL 2021's leading run-scorer. KL Rahul won the Orange Cap last season, scoring 670 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 129.34.

Check the full list of all IPL Orange Cap winners here.

Chopra did not go with the Punjab Kings skipper, while also choosing to ignore Orange Cap favorite David Warner. The dashing Australian opener has won the Orange Cap a record three times, while also finishing as the third-highest run-scorer last season.

Aakash Chopra instead backed Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli to score the most runs in IPL 2021.

“Warner won’t get the Orange cap. I am going with Virat Kohli. I think he could be the highest run-scorer,” Chopra insisted.

Virat Kohli has won the Orange Cup just once before, during his record-breaking run in 2016. Opening the innings for the RCB, Kohli amassed 973 runs in 16 games at an average of 81.08. No player has scored more runs in a single IPL season. He also scored four hundreds and seven half-centuries in IPL 2016.

With Kohli set to open for the RCB once again, he could be in line to win the IPL 2021 Orange Cap.

One of us wins, all of us win. Am I right? 😉 Hello, @RCBTweets's newest and fastest teammate @pumacricket pic.twitter.com/XHmKTiAgkc

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 30, 2021