Although the bowlers have had their say throughout the years, T20 cricket is mostly a batter’s game. They have substantially improved and have responded wonderfully to the changes.
Last year, Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap after matching Dwayne Bravo’s record of 32 wickets in a single season. The fight for the Purple Cap will be even more heated now that two more teams have entered the tournament, and it won’t just be about winning the trophy; it’ll also be about striking at the right time when it matters most.
1. Harshal Patel
In 2021, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Harshal Patel enjoyed a breakout season. He was traded from the Delhi Capitals to the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and his yorkers and variations astounded everyone. He debuted with RCB in the IPL in 2012, but it wasn’t until last year that he made an impact with the bat.
Patel won the Purple Cap last season after taking a record-equaling 32 wickets. Only Dwayne Bravo of CSK, who won the Purple Cap in 2013, has taken more wickets in an IPL season.
Last season, Patel was a key figure in the death overs, taking 19 wickets between overs 17 and 20, eight more than any other bowler at the time.
The 31-year-old also became the first player in history to take a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in the same season.
His outstanding bowling performance for RCB earned him his first India cap when he was called up for the T20I series against New Zealand. On his T20I debut, he was named Man of the Match with numbers of 2/25.
Despite a great season, Harshal was released by RCB, but the Bengaluru franchise purchased him back for Rs 10.75 crore at the IPL 2022 mega auction in February.
Kagiso Rabada
South African Kagiso Rabada has established himself as a major threat not only on paper but also on the field throughout the years. Rabada earned the Purple Cap in 2020 with the Delhi Capitals, taking 30 wickets in a season in which DC made their first IPL final appearance.
Rabada, on the other hand, was one of many famous players released by DC ahead of the IPL super auction in 2022.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) bought the speedster for Rs 9.25 crore after a bidding war between DC and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the auction.
The 26-year-old is the most experienced bowler at Punjab Kings.
3. Ravi Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi, a leg-break googly bowler, had a good IPL 2021 season with the Punjab Kings, taking 12 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 6.34.
The franchise released Bishnoi, but he found a new home with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who bought him in the draught for Rs 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 major auction.
Bishnoi rose to prominence after a sensational performance at the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020, where he took 17 wickets and finished as the tournament’s best wicket-taker. Later that year, PBKS bought him for Rs 2 crore, and he made the switch to the IPL. In his first IPL season, he grabbed 12 wickets in 14 matches.
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan, an Afghanistan mystery spinner, has wowed viewers in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), and even for his country.
Rashid Khan was bought as a draughts pick for a hefty Rs 15 crore by Gujarat Titans as part of their core, and the great spinner will be under a lot of strain.
Since 2017, the 23-year-old has been a fixture in the IPL, scooping up wickets on a regular basis. Rashid took 18 wickets in 14 games in the IPL 2021 season, which was his third-highest total after 21 in 2018 and 20 in 2020. He was even the fourth most wicket-taker in the BBL when playing for the Adelaide Strikers.
Avesh Khan
At the IPL 2022 auction in February, Lucknow Super Giants paid a whopping Rs 10 crores for Avesh Khan.
Avesh Khan has been a part of the Indian Premier League since 2017, but his opportunities were limited in the early years. He had his breakthrough season with the Delhi Capitals in 2021 when he collected 24 wickets in 16 games.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament in late 2021, Avesh took nine wickets in five games at an economy rate of six. When he played in the third T20I against West Indies in February, he earned his first India cap.