The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is set to take place between 22nd March to 25th May 2025. The Indian Premier League was founded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2007. The first edition, however, started in 2008. Since then, the tournament has taken place every year. There have been top players who have participated in the league since its inception, and one of the biggest individual awards that players fight for is the Purple Cap, which is awarded to the top wicket-taker of the season. This article talks about the top five contenders to win the IPL 2025 Purple Cap.
Credit: Hindustan Times
Jasprit Bumrah is regarded worldwide as one of the best bowlers of all time, and while he has always been good in the Indian Premier League, he has never looked to be at his peak; everyone feels that Bumrah yet has another level that he can unlock when it comes to the IPL. In fact, despite being such an incredible pacer, Bumrah has never managed to win the IPL Purple Cap even once during his career. This is an astonishing stat and one which has a high chance of changing after IPL 2025. Bumrah missed out on the Champions Trophy squad with an injury and will be raring to go in the Indian Premier League.
His consistent performance, combined with experience, makes him a significant threat to opposition batsmen. With IPL 2025 expected to feature some high-scoring matches, Bumrah’s ability to adapt his bowling strategy to restrict runs and capture wickets will be crucial. If he maintains his fitness and form, it’s highly likely that Bumrah will make a strong bid for the Purple Cap, and this can end up being the first time Bumrah manages to get his hand on the Purple Cap and end as the top scorer.
Highest wicket taker for KKR in IPL 2024 🤝🏻 Highest wicket taker for India in CT 2025.
Varun “X- FACTOR” Chakravarthy. 🇮🇳💜 pic.twitter.com/kjfuis6Yfj
— KnightRidersXtra (@KKR_Xtra) March 9, 2025
Varun Chakaravarthy is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most effective spin bowlers in the IPL, making him a serious contender for the Purple Cap in 2025. Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Chakaravarthy’s exceptional ability to spin the ball and deceive batsmen has garnered him significant success, as evidenced by his impressive 2024 season, where he took 21 wickets, coming second to only Harshal Patel, who managed to pick up 24 wickets in the IPL 2025 season. His variations, including a sharp googly, have made batsmen think twice, often leading to crucial breakthroughs in middle overs.
Chakaravarthy seems to be only getting even better, and his recent performances have been out of this world. He even managed to become one of India’s most important bowlers at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and helped the Indian cricket team lift the trophy. Chakaravarthy and KKR will be the defending champions this season, and the talented Indian spinner hopes that he will be able to help his team defend the IPL title while also winning the Purple Cap by picking up more wickets than any other bowler.
Credit: ANI News
Mohammed Shami is an incredible wicket-taking fast bowler and another Indian star who has been signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League. Shami has won the IPL Purple Cap in the past, doing so in the 2023 season when he managed to pick up 28 wickets in 17 matches. Shami is very talented and was simply phenomenal for the Gujarat Titans. Sunrisers Hyderabad hopes that the talented Indian star will display his wicket-taking prowess at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium and act as one of their best bowlers in the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League.
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Shami’s experience in international cricket adds to his tactical knowledge, which he applies effectively in the IPL. As IPL 2025 approaches, if he can maintain his fitness and form, there’s a real possibility that Shami will vie for the Purple Cap yet again. His aggressive bowling style, combined with the backing of a strong team, positions him as a significant threat to opponents, and fans will be eager to see how he performs this year. It will be very interesting to see how the Indian pacer fits in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowling attack this season.
𝘽𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 👌
Purple Cap holder Harshal Patel was at his lethal best in #TATAIPL 2024 ✨
Click 🔽 to relive all of his 2️⃣4️⃣ wickets ⏪ @HarshalPatel23
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 3, 2025
Harshal Patel is no stranger to success in the IPL, having previously claimed the Purple Cap in both the 2021 and 2024 seasons. His effective combination of slower balls and variations has made him a standout performer in the Indian Premier League. Batsmen find Harshal Patel incredibly tough to face, and they are not sure whether to attack him or not. While he tends to use a lot of slow deliveries, his variations make it very tricky, which is why when batsmen try to target his bowling, they end up losing their wicket.
As IPL 2025 approaches, Harshal’s experience and mastery of the T20 format position him as a top contender for the Purple Cap. If he can continue to build upon his previous successes and maintain consistency throughout the tournament, there is a strong possibility that Harshal could retain the Purple Cap, further solidifying his reputation as one of the premier bowlers in the league. He won the Purple Caps in 2021 with 32 wickets and in 2024 with 24 and hopes that he can continue his wicket-taking form this season. Patel has been bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and they hope he manages to win the Purple Cap once again.
Credit: India Today
Matheesha Pathirana, the young Sri Lankan pacer, has emerged as an exciting talent in T20 cricket, making him a dark horse for the IPL 2025 Purple Cap. Playing for the Chennai Super Kings, Pathirana gained attention for his impressive performance in the 2024 season, where he showcased his unique bowling style, drawing comparisons to the legendary Lasith Malinga. While the pacer is still very young, he has already shown exactly what he is capable of, and bowlers find it very hard to play against him. This allows him to pick up wickets and is the reason why he is one of the top contenders to win the IPL 2025 Purple Cap.
Pathirana’s youth and enthusiasm, coupled with a growing experience in franchise cricket, position him as an important asset for CSK. If he can build on his previous successes and maintain consistency throughout IPL 2025, Matheesha Pathirana could very well emerge as a leading wicket-taker, potentially competing for the coveted Purple Cap. Matheesha Pathirana’s development in the Indian Premier League will be very interesting to see, and it will not be surprising if he ends up being the top wicket-taker in the IPL 2025 season.
For more news articles and informative updates on the Indian Premier League Purple Cap as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.
Guransh Machra is a sportswriter at Gutshot Magazine. He covers football news from local leagues like the Indian Super League as well as international leagues like the Premier League. He follows various sports like Football, Cricket, Formula 1, and Tennis. Apart from sports, Guransh is also enthusiastic about reading and gaming.
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