They say batting wins you games, but bowling wins you tournaments and the Indian Premier League proves it every year.
While batsmen often grab the headlines in this batsman-dominant era, it’s the bowlers who win you matches when the stakes are highest.
When you look at the IPL’s top wicket-takers, Indian stars have left a huge mark, with Yuzvendra Chahal sitting pretty at the top of the all-time list after 2024.
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The Purple Cap is the bowler’s crown and each season, they fight it out to win it. Fans can’t wait to see who’ll rise as the highest wicket-taker and win the Purple Cap in IPL 2025.
Top wicket-takers in IPL 2025: Purple Cap race
The Purple Cap chase is always a highlight and IPL 2025 promises more drama. Indian bowlers have ruled this space for years.
Here’s the list of top wicket-takers of IPL 2025:
| Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | 4w | 5w | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prasidh Krishna | GT | 15 | 25 | 19.52 | 8.27 | 1 | 0 | 4/41 |
| Noor Ahmad | CSK | 14 | 24 | 17.00 | 8.16 | 2 | 0 | 4/18 |
| Trent Boult | MI | 16 | 22 | 23.50 | 8.96 | 1 | 0 | 4/26 |
| Josh Hazlewood | RCB | 11 | 21 | 15.80 | 8.30 | 1 | 0 | 4/33 |
| R Sai Kishore | GT | 15 | 19 | 20.68 | 9.24 | 0 | 0 | 3/30 |
Top wicket-takers in IPL history: All Purple Cap winners
The Purple Cap has been a bowler’s badge of honour since 2008. Sohail Tanvir was the first one to grab it for Rajasthan Royals with 22 wickets. Over 17 seasons, eight overseas bowlers have claimed it.
Check out the past Purple Cap winners here:
| Year | Player | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | RR | 22 |
| 2009 | RP Singh | DC (Deccan Chargers) | 23 |
| 2010 | Pragyan Ojha | DC (Deccan Chargers) | 21 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | MI | 28 |
| 2012 | Morne Morkel | DC (Delhi Capitals) | 25 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 32 |
| 2014 | Mohit Sharma | CSK | 23 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 26 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 23 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 26 |
| 2018 | Andrew Tye | PBKS | 24 |
| 2019 | Imran Tahir | CSK | 26 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | DC (Delhi Capitals) | 30 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | RCB | 32 |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 27 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | GT | 28 |
| 2024 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 24 |