When it comes to T20 cricket, the game might favour batters, but bowlers hold the real key to success. A team with a strong bowling attack can strangle even the most powerful batting lineups.
And in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where the best of the best go head-to-head, one bowler stands tall at the end of the season with the Purple Cap, which is rewarded to the leading wicket-taker.
With IPL 2025 around the corner, the race for the Purple Cap is wide open. Some bowlers come into the tournament in red-hot form, while others have built a reputation for delivering when it matters most.
Let’s take a look at top five prime contenders who could walk away with the Purple Cap this season.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy has always been a tricky customer, but the version of him we’ve seen in recent months is something else. He’s added more dip, topspin, and bite to his bowling, which has made him a nightmare for batters to pick. With speeds touching 100 kmph, he is no longer just a mystery spinner, he is a proper wicket-taking machine.
His form for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was magnificent. He made his tournament debut in the group-stage clash against New Zealand and walked away with a fifer. The 33-year-old backed that up with match-winning performances in the semi-final against Australia and another clinical show in the final against the Kiwis.
His IPL record for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is equally impressive with 21 and 20 wickets in the last two seasons. With Eden Gardens favouring spinners and his ability to strike at crucial moments, it is hard to look past him as one of the top contenders for the Purple Cap.
Matheesha Pathirana
Matheesha Pathirana is one of those bowlers who makes batters second-guess themselves before the ball even leaves his hand. His low-arm slingy action is straight out of the Lasith Malinga playbook, and even though he hasn’t played a lot outside the IPL, his raw pace and natural late movement make him almost unplayable at times.
He bagged 19 wickets in 12 matches in 2023, and even in 2024, despite playing just six games, he picked up 13 wickets. That’s the kind of wicket-taking ability that could see him run away with the Purple Cap if he plays a full season.
With Chennai Super Kings’s (CSK) spin arsenal applying pressure in the middle overs, Pathirana will get plenty of chances to bowl at batters looking to accelerate and snag their wickets. If he stays fit, he is one of the top contenders to win the Purple Cap.
Arshdeep Singh
Over the years, Arshdeep Singh has quietly become one of the most effective wicket-takers in T20 cricket. The 2024 Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year doesn’t just shine with the new ball, but also nails his yorkers at the death. Very few bowlers in world cricket can do both as consistently as he does.
He grabbed 19 wickets in 14 games in IPL 2024 and 17 in the season before that, proving that he’s always among the wickets. With experience under his belt and more responsibility on his shoulders, this could be the year he truly explodes onto the scene.
If Punjab Kings make a deep run in the tournament, Arshdeep will be leading the charge. The only thing standing between him and the Purple Cap is Punjab’s consistency as a team. But knowing Arshdeep, he will get his share of wickets no matter what.
Mohammad Shami
Mohammad Shami doesn’t just take wickets, he hunts them down. After dominating the 2023 ODI World Cup as the leading wicket-taker, he was sidelined for over a year due to an ankle injury. But when he came back in Champions Trophy 2025, he showed why he is one of the best in the business.
With 9 wickets in 5 matches, he finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, swinging the ball both ways like a magician. Now, Sunrisers Hyderabad have snapped him up for INR 10 crore, and they will be relying on him to lead their attack with the new ball.
If he gets early wickets, he will be an unstoppable force. And given his track record of striking both upfront and at the death, he is definitely one of the top contenders for the Purple Cap.
Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav has been in sublime form for India, making batters look clueless with his deceptive wrong’uns and sharp turn. The Delhi Capitals spinner has been an important part of India’s white-ball success in recent months, and now, he is all set to bring that magic to IPL 2025.
His last three IPL seasons have been stunning, where he has bagged a total of 47 wickets. With his confidence at an all-time high and a clear role in DC’s setup, this season could be the one where he fully realizes his IPL potential.
If he finds his rhythm early in the season, batters will struggle to pick him, and he could end up as the leading wicket-taker.
