IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers: Purple Cap Race Update

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, the 18th edition of the world’s most exciting T20 tournament, has already begun, and so has the Purple Cap race — to crown the wicket master of the season. Starting March 22, 2025, with the opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens, IPL 2025 promises high-voltage action, fierce rivalries, and sublime individual performances.

While batsmen often steal the spotlight in T20 cricket, it’s the bowlers who quietly turn the tide with their skill, control, and nerves of steel. This season is no different, with a thrilling mix of emerging talent and seasoned pros climbing the IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers chart. From fiery pace to clever spin, every game is reshaping the leaderboard.

As the race for the Purple Cap intensifies, fans can expect more twists in the battle among the IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers, who are proving just how vital they are in a batsman-dominated format. Keep an eye on this elite group as the tournament progresses.

IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers (As of Early April)

Here is a quick peek at the leading 10 wicket-takers in IPL 2025 until now:

Rank	Player	Wickets	Team	Matches
1	Noor Ahmad	10	CSK	4
2	Hardik Pandya	10	MI	4
3	Mohammed Siraj	9	GT	4
4	Mitchell Starc	9	DC	3
5	Sai Kishore	8	GT	4
6	Khaleel Ahmed	8	CSK	4
7	Josh Hazlewood	8	RCB	4
8	Shardul Thakur	7	LSG	4
9	Krunal Pandya	7	RCB	4
10	Kuldeep Yadav	6	DC	3

The battle is strong, and with nearly two months of the league remaining, these numbers are sure to change massively as the league continues.

Purple Cap: A Symbol of Bowling Brilliance

Since its inception in IPL 2008, the Purple Cap has evolved as a coveted award for bowlers. Not just an award for individual excellence but is generally the award for the backbone of a team’s bowling success. It has been secured by some of the greatest bowlers of the game over the years.

Notable Purple Cap Winners Through the Years:

• 2008: Sohail Tanvir – 22 wickets in 11 matches (RR)
• 2009: RP Singh – 23 wickets in 16 matches (Deccan Chargers)
• 2013 & 2015: Dwayne Bravo (CSK) – 32 and 26 wickets respectively
• 2016 & 2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) – Back-to-back Purple Caps
• 2020: Kagiso Rabada – 30 wickets in 17 matches (DC)
• 2021 & 2024: Harshal Patel – 32 wickets in 2021 (RCB), 24 wickets in 2024 (PBKS)
  

These performances have not only added to their own side but also indicated the way in which bowlers can become match-winers in a batsman-centric edition.

Purple Cap + Trophy: A Rare Combo

There have been just three IPL players in the history of the tournament to accomplish the Purple Cap and the IPL title in a single season:

• Sohail Tanvir (2008) – Rajasthan Royals
• RP Singh (2009) – Deccan Chargers
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2016) – Sunrisers Hyderabad

This is not an everyday achievement which emphasizes the importance of having a game-winning bowler in the team to deliver during the tournament.

Record Purple Cap Performances

There have been quite a lot of Purple Cap winners with some performances exceptional:

Player	Wickets	Year	Matches	Team
Dwayne Bravo	32	2013	18	CSK
Harshal Patel	32	2021	15	RCB
Kagiso Rabada	30	2020	17	DC

These totals remain unbroken, showcasing the ordeal of taking wickets time and again in a match where the margin of error is paper-thin.

Indian Bowlers: Consistent Contenders

Indian pacers and spinners have topped the Purple Cap standings in all seasons of IPL’s history with 9 titles from 17 seasons. Since the early glory of RP Singh, Indian bowlers have set standards high in one of the world’s most competitive cricket competitions.

Player	Purple Caps Won	Years
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2	2016, 2017
Harshal Patel	2	2021, 2024
Dwayne Bravo	2	2013, 2015

Bhuvneshwar stands alone among cricketers to have won the award two years consecutively — a testament to his consistency.

2025 Breakout Stars to Watch

IPL 2025 has put in the limelight a number of new faces who are making their entry into the scene with amazing pace:

• Noor Ahmad (CSK): The left-arm wrist spinner from Afghanistan has left everyone amazed with his pace and spin, claiming 10 wickets so far.

• Sai Kishore (GT): Tamil Nadu’s left-arm spinner is showing excellent variations and control.
• Hardik Pandya (MI): Hardik’s performances this season while bowling with his all-round ability have left eyebrows raised with a part of the top spot.
• All these performances seem to point towards an expected change of the ultimate Purple Cap standing, especially because more matches are being played.

Why the Purple Cap Matters

The Purple Cap is not just employed to identify a bowler’s statistical milestone. It boosts the confidence of a player, in most cases enhancing his or her game as he or she attempts to retain the cap match after match. Bowlers possessing the Purple Cap are usually the focus of the opposing sides, thereby making it an actual test of temperament and skill.

Along with that, the teams that have a consistent wicket-taker on their side play better in the tournament. Bowling can win matches in closely contested ones, and ball match-winners can turn the tables in their favor.

What Lies Ahead: Predictions and Expectations

With the last on May 25 to be played at Eden Gardens, spectators are set for a fight not only to win the IPL title, but also to be on top as individual leaders in the Purple Cap log as well. Will a surprise new winner be crowned, or will veteran warriors such as Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj make a comeback?

Here are some unorthodox predictions:

• Noor Ahmad might become the first Afghan to win the Purple Cap.
• Hardik Pandya, if he maintains his bowling consistency, can be the first Indian all-rounder to lead the chart.

Vets such as Kuldeep Yadav and Josh Hazlewood can peak in the knockout stage.

Read More:
Most Wickets in IPL: 6 Legends of Tournament History
IPL 2025 Purple Cap Holder: Leading Wicket-Taker of Season

Final Thoughts

The IPL 2025 is not just a battle for franchises but also for bowlers as individuals, who will attempt to make their presence felt. From an inexperienced spinner like Noor Ahmad to a seasoned campaigner such as Hardik Pandya, the race among the IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers is heating up and promises plenty of drama.

From legends like Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo to new-generation stars like Harshal Patel, the Purple Cap winners’ roll of honor is filled with stories of grit, ingenuity, and brilliance. This year, the competition among the IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers is fiercer than ever, with each game adding a new twist to the leaderboard.

Who among the IPL 2025 Top Wicket-Takers will earn a spot in that exclusive roll of honor in 2025?