Who Will Win Purple Cap in IPL 2026? Top 5 Picks Ranked
Every IPL season, the Orange Cap gets all the attention, especially with a few top batters leading the race every year. But quietly, in the background, the Purple Cap race is equally thrilling — and arguably more unpredictable.
Who takes 25+ wickets in a tournament where boundaries flow like water and bowlers are under siege from ball one? That’s the real challenge. And the bowler who pulls it off deserves every bit of the recognition.
What Actually Decides the Purple Cap?
Before the names, let’s understand what separates a Purple Cap winner from the rest.
It’s not just talent. It’s role + consistency + team support, something you can clearly see from past Purple Cap winners over the years
A bowler needs to be trusted with 4 full overs every single game. They need to take wickets — not just be economical, just like batters need big runs to stay on top across seasons. And they need a team that plays all 14+ league games deep into the tournament. Miss even 2–3 matches due to injury or rotation, and the race is almost over.
Top 5 players who can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2026
1. Jasprit Bumrah — Mumbai Indians
The strongest favourite. Full stop.
Bumrah recently finished as the leading wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup 2026, picking up 14 wickets in eight matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.21 against top international batters. He’s coming into IPL 2026 in the form of his life.
What makes him different from every other bowler on this list is range. He can take wickets in the powerplay with the new ball swinging, dry up runs in the middle overs, and execute unplayable yorkers at the death. This flexibility gives him multiple opportunities to take wickets throughout a match — something most bowlers simply don’t have.
Risk factor: MI’s schedule and workload management. If they rest him in even 1–2 games, it could cost him the race.
2. Varun Chakravarthy — Kolkata Knight Riders
The mystery spinner nobody wants to face.
Chakravarthy has taken 100 wickets in his IPL career. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 and picked up 17 wickets last season. Consistent, hard to read, and lethal on turning surfaces. Yes, he had a slightly tough T20 World Cup — but that actually makes him hungrier. KKR will back him hard this season, and on Eden Gardens with spin-friendly conditions mid-tournament, he becomes almost unplayable.
Risk factor: Batters have started reading him better. If top teams do their homework, he could be neutralised on flatter pitches.
3. Arshdeep Singh — Punjab Kings
The most underrated name on this list.
Arshdeep emerged as the primary strike bowler for Punjab Kings last season, finishing with 21 crucial wickets. He recently became the first Indian bowler to take 100 wickets in T20 internationals. That’s not a stat you earn by being ordinary. He swings it early, bowls clever cutters in the middle, and nails yorkers under pressure at the death. Punjab will give him the ball in every critical phase — which means 4 full overs, every game.
Risk factor: Punjab Kings as a team tend to underperform in the second half of the tournament. If they exit early, Arshdeep loses crucial games to add to his tally.
4. Mohammed Shami — Lucknow Super Giants
The comeback story of IPL 2026.
Shami shone in the SMAT 2025-26, snaring 16 scalps in seven innings at an average of 14.93. He’s fit, motivated, and has a point to prove after being out of the Indian team for a long time. When Shami is in rhythm, he’s simply one of the best new-ball bowlers in the world. Swing, seam, variations — the complete package. Lucknow will need him to lead their attack, and that guaranteed workload is a big plus.
Risk factor: Fitness. Shami has had injury concerns before. If he stays on the park for all 14 games, he’s a genuine Purple Cap contender. If not, he drops off fast.
5. Prasidh Krishna — Gujarat Titans
The defending Purple Cap holder.
Prasidh Krishna won the Purple Cap in IPL 2025, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 25 wickets in 15 matches at an impressive average of 19.52. He’s coming back after battling injuries, and he has something most others don’t — the experience of already going the distance. His extra bounce from height troubles middle-order batters especially, and GT have a strong lineup that should keep him playing through the tournament.
Risk factor: He’s returning from injury. Match fitness and rhythm in the early games will be key.
Quick Comparison
Dark Horse: Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings)
South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen brings hard-to-read swing and extra bounce generated from his height — and he’s largely flying under the radar. If he clicks alongside Arshdeep at Punjab, he could quietly pile up wickets while everyone watches the bigger names.
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❓FAQs
Jasprit Bumrah is the top favourite given his T20 World Cup form, all-phase effectiveness, and MI’s strong squad. Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy are the closest challengers.
Prasidh Krishna won it with 25 wickets in 15 matches.
Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the only bowlers to win the Purple Cap twice. Bhuvneshwar is the only one to win it in back-to-back seasons (2016 and 2017).
It’s awarded to the highest wicket-taker of the season. The leading wicket-taker at any point during the tournament gets to wear it on the field — and the one who finishes on top keeps it for good.