The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to get underway from April 9. After being held in the UAE last year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cash-rich league returns to India this year. Ahead of the tournament, the player auctions for IPL 2021 were held in Chennai in February. South Africa’s bowling all-rounder Chris Morris became the most expensive buy ever at the auctions, purchased by Rajasthan Royals for INR 16.25 crore. New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was also sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 15 crore, further signifying the importance of bowlers in the tournament. Every year, the highest wicket-taker in IPL walks away with the Purple Cap. Here are IPL 2021’s top contenders for the same.
1. Kagiso Rabada
The South African fast bowler has been exceptional in the IPL over the last couple of seasons. Even in the shortest format of the game, Kagiso Rabada has proved deadly with his toe-crushing yorkers and bouncers. In fact, he is the reigning Purple Cap winner. He claimed 30 wickets in 17 matches for Delhi Capitals at a strike rate of 13.13 in IPL 2020. In terms of numbers, this was an improvement on his performance in 2019, when he picked up 25 wickets in 12 games at a strike rate of 11.28. But, in both seasons, he was Delhi’s standout bowler.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
The Mumbai Indians pacer, who is in the news for his marriage these days, rarely stays out of the limelight when he plays in the IPL. Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga formed a legendary pairing for the defending champions in the IPL. Last year, even without Malinga, Bumrah continued to impress with his pace and accuracy. He claimed 27 wickets in 15 matches at a strike rate of 13.33 in IPL 2020 as Mumbai defended their title. From 2016 to 2019, his wickets tally in IPL has been as follows – 15, 20, 17 and 19. Injuries may have hampered his international career to some extent, but has been able to keep his IPL supremacy intact.
3. Jofra Archer
Rajasthan Royals may have struggled as a franchise last season. But Jofra Archer clearly emerged as their brightest shining spot. It is often said that raw pace can have an impact irrespective of the format. Archer gave proof of the same in IPL 2020. The Royals were knocked out before the play-offs. However, in the 14 matches that he featured in, the Barbados-born fast bowler clinched 20 scalps at an impressive strike rate of 16.70. He should be a threat in the upcoming edition as well with his searing pace, especially his bouncers and yorkers.
4. Trent Boult
While Bumrah was Mumbai Indians’ leading bowler last season, left-arm seamer Trent Boult was only slightly behind. He made a serious impression on the tournament and finished with 25 wickets from 15 games at a strike rate of 13.76. He was lethal for the most part with his pace and movement and was, in fact, the man of the match in the final with figures of 3 for 30, destroying Delhi Capitals’ hopes of a maiden win. Arguably the best left-arm seamer in the game today, Boult is only getting better. He was one of the main reasons why Mumbai didn’t miss Malinga in IPL 2020.
5. Anrich Nortje
If Mumbai Indians hunted in pairs – Bumrah & Boult, so did Delhi Capitals. If Rabada was sensational, his Proteas teammate Anrich Nortje was destructive. He bowled the fastest ball in IPL’s history last year. However, there is more to Nortje that just pace. He is accurate and, when combined with his speed, his yorkers can be unplayable. A number of batsmen found the Proteas fast bowler too hot to handle. Coming in as a replacement for Chris Woakes, he made his opportunity count, claiming 22 wickets in 16 games at a strike rate of 16.63.
6. Rashid Khan
It has been a while since Rashid Khan has been on the cricketing circuit. And, he has played in multiple T20 leagues across the globe. However, unlike Ajantha Mendis, the original mystery spinner of cricket, the perplexity of batsmen around the leg-spinner refuses to fade. The Sunrisers Hyderabad spinner keeps finding ways to bamboozle batsmen, and is very rarely attacked. IPL 2020 was no different. Khan claimed 20 wickets in 16 matches at an exceptional economy rate of 5.37. The 22-year-old can trouble batsmen even when they are just looking to play him out. Such is the genius of the Afghanistan spinner.