Purple cap in IPL 2023: Complete list of all the contenders

Have you heard commentators talk about the Purple Cap in IPL 2023, but aren't sure what it is? Then you're in the right place, because here at CricNerd.com, we know cricket like the back of our hands.

Read on for your full explanation of everything you need to know about the IPL Purple Cap 2023, including what the Purple Cap is, how a bowler wins it, and the full IPL 2023 Purple Cap list.

What is the Purple Cap in IPL?

Much like the Tour de France has the Yellow Jersey, the IPL has the Purple Cap (and the Orange Cap).

Plain and simple, the Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler in the IPL who has taken the most wickets. It is simultaneously an award that is won at the end of the season, by the bowler who has taken the most wickets across the entire season, and also an ongoing contest. Every match, when one bowler moves up the wicket taking list, the Purple Cap has the potential to change hands.

In case of a tie for the most wickets taken, the bowler with the lower economy rate will be awarded the Purple Cap. If the economy rate is also the same, the bowler who has bowled the most overs in the tournament will be awarded the Purple Cap in IPL 2023.

This makes the Purple Cap a coveted prize amongst bowlers in the IPL, and the Purple Cap in IPL 2023 is no different.

IPL 2023 Purple Cap list

Looking at the player performances so far this season, the race to the top is very tightly fought. Let's take a look at the top wicket-takers in the race for the purple cap in IPL 2023.

With Mohammad Shami holding an ever-so-slight lead over CSK's Tushar Deshpande, the IPL Purple Cap 2023 is very much up for grabs. Here's a closer look at each of the main contenders this season.

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1. Mohammad Shami – 28 wickets (Gujarat Titans)

Mohammad Shami has continued to take the first spot in the race for the purple cap for this season in the Indian Premier League. He picked up 2 wickets in his Qualifier 2 match against Mumbai Indians. He along with the other Gujarat Titans bowlers helped GT reach their second consecutive IPL finals in 2 years.

2. Mohit Sharma: 27 wickets (Gujarat Titans)

Mohit Sharma almost pulled off a miracle in the finals against Chennai Super Kings. He picked up 3 wickets in the match and dismissed Rayudu and Dhoni in back-to-back deliveries. He finished the tournament in second place finishing second behind his teammate Mohammad Shami.

3. Rashid Khan – 27 wickets (Gujarat Titans)

Rashid Khan has been exceptional throughout the tournament and continued this form in the Qualifier 2 match against Mumbai Indians. He picked up 2 wickets as well along with Shami. The competition is definitely between the teammates for the purple cap this season as they have been prolific for their team.

4. Yuzvendra Chahal – 21 wickets (Rajasthan Royals)

There is a new purple cap holder in the IPL 2023 and it is none other than leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal of Rajasthan Royals. He has not only become the leading wicket taker this season but also the top wicket taker in the history of the Indian Premier League. He went past Dwayne Bravo as the highest wicket taker in the history after picking up 4 wickets in his match against KKR.

5. Piyush Chawla -22 wickets (Mumbai Indians)

Piyush Chawla picked up 2 wickets in his match against Gujarat Titans. He helped Mumbai defend the total with his excellent spell in the middle overs. He has been their best bowler in the league and will be very important for Mumbai to qualify for the playoffs.

6. Tushar Deshpande – 22 wickets (Chennai Super Kings)

 Tushar Deshpande has been the spearhead of the Chennai Super King's pace bowling attack in the powerplay and at the back end of the innings. He has always been in contention for the purple cap award this season and he moved into the 4th spot on the points table after picking up a wicket against Gujarat Titans in the qualifier.

History of the Purple Cap in IPL

The Purple Cap is regarded as one of the most prized individual prizes in the IPL, and it is widely sought for by bowlers aspiring to be the tournament's highest wicket-taker. Introduced in the second season of the IPL in 2009, the Purple Cap has since become a tradition in the tournament. The IPL Purple Cap 2023 is sponsored by the official broadcaster of the IPL and is presented to the leading wicket taker of the tournament at the end of the season.

Looking back over its history, the Purple Cap has been won by some of the greatest bowlers of all time. The list includes Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Imran Tahir. In fact, Malinga and Bravo have won the Purple Cap multiple times. Here's a closer look at this award's history.

IPL Purple Cap full winners list (2008 to 2022)

Here we bring to you the historical purple cap holders in IPL until last season. It indicates the most wickets taken by the player in an IPL season from the year 2008 to 2022, and is an IPL Purple Cap full winners list.

Sohail Tanvir – 2008 IPL Purple Cap winner

Sohail Tanvir, the Pakistani left-arm fast-medium bowler, was the first wicket-taker in the Indian Premier League history.

Tanvir went on to have an outstanding debut season in the IPL, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets in 11 matches and assisting the Rajasthan Royals to victory. His efforts included a 6-14 stint against the Chennai Super Kings, which is still the greatest bowling numbers in an IPL innings to date.

RP Singh – 2009 IPL Purple Cap winner

RP Singh, the Indian left-arm fast-medium bowler, played for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League in 2009. That year, he had a fantastic campaign, finishing as the leading wicket-taker and collecting the Purple Cap.

RP Singh amassed 23 wickets in 16 matches, at an average of 18.13 and an economy rate of 6.98. His best innings statistics were 4-22. He was instrumental in the Deccan Chargers' success that season, which saw them win the IPL title for the first time in their existence.

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Pragyan Ojha – 2010 IPL Purple Cap winner

Pragyan Ojha, the Indian left-arm spinner, played for the Deccan Chargers in the 2010 season of the IPL. He had a terrific season that year, finishing as the leading wicket-taker and winning the Purple Cap.

In 16 matches, Ojha took 21 wickets at an average of 20.38 and an economy rate of 7.29. His best figures in an innings were 3-28. He played a crucial role in the Deccan Chargers' campaign that season, as they finished in the third position on the points table.

Lasith Malinga – 2011 IPL Purple Cap winner

Malinga took 28 wickets in 16 matches, at an average of 13.39 and an economy rate of 5.95. His best innings figures were 5-13. He was an important part of the Mumbai Indians' playoff run that season.

Malinga's achievements in the 2011 IPL won him high praise and helped him establish himself as one of the world's top T20 bowlers. His ability to bowl yorkers on command and capture wickets at vital times made him a valued asset to the Mumbai Indians.

Morne Morkel – 2012 IPL Purple Cap winner

He finished as the top wicket-taker and took home the Purple Cap that year, which proved to be a very successful tournament for him and the Chennai Super Kings.

Morkel grabbed 25 wickets in 16 matches, at an average of 18.12 and an economy rate of 7.19. His best innings stats were 4-20. He was instrumental in the Delhi Daredevils' league-winning season that year, as they finished first in the points table.

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Dwayne Bravo – 2013 IPL Purple Cap winner

Dwayne Bravo, the West Indian all-rounder, played for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013. That year, he had a fantastic season, finishing as the leading wicket-taker and collecting the Purple Cap.

Bravo grabbed 32 wickets in 18 matches, at an average of 15.53 and an economy rate of 7.95. His best innings stats were 4-42. He was an important part of the Chennai Super Kings' season that year, as they ended as runners-up after losing to the Mumbai Indians in the final.

Mohit Sharma – 2014 IPL Purple Cap winner

Mohit Sharma was part of the Chennai Super Kings in the 2014 IPL. He was a key element of the team's bowling assault and played a vital role in their run to the final. Sharma got 23 wickets in 16 matches, averaging 19.65 and averaging 8.39. As well as winning the Purple Cap award, he was also named ‘Emerging Player of the Year' for his outstanding achievements throughout the competition. 

Dwayne Bravo – 2015 IPL Purple Cap winner

Bravo took 26 wickets in 16 matches during the 2015 IPL season, with an average of 16.38 and an economy rate of 8.14. In the event, his best bowling statistics were 4/22. Bravo's outstanding skill with the ball helped Chennai Super Kings make the playoffs that year, although they were eliminated in the Eliminator round. This was the second time that Bravo had been awarded the Purple Cap in IPL history.

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 2016 IPL Purple Cap winner

He has been a key member of the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack since his debut in the IPL in 2014. During the 2016 season, he bowled with exceptional precision and swing, collecting wickets on a continuous basis and finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker. His contributions were critical in helping Sunrisers Hyderabad win their maiden IPL title.

He took a total of 23 wickets in 17 matches for the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, which won the IPL title that year.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 2017 IPL Purple Cap winner

Bhuvneshwar Kumar also won the Purple Cap in the 2017 season of the IPL. He took 26 wickets in 14 matches for the Sunrisers Hyderabad team and was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament for the second year in a row. Bhuvneshwar Kumar's consistent performances with the ball played a significant role in Sunrisers Hyderabad reaching the playoffs that year. He became the first player to win the Purple Cap in consecutive IPL seasons.

Andrew Tye – 2018 IPL Purple Cap winner

Andrew Tye earned the Purple Cap during the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Tye is an Australian right-arm fast-medium bowler recognized for his variations and ability to bowl yorkers at the death. The Australian played for the Punjab Kings side and grabbed 24 wickets in 14 tournament matches. He was the tournament's best wicket-taker and played an important part in the Punjab Kings team's campaign that year. 

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Imran Tahir – 2019 IPL Purple Cap winner

Imran Tahir won the Purple Cap in the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for the Chennai Super Kings team and took a total of 26 wickets in 17 matches in the tournament. Tahir, a leg-spinner from South Africa, was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament and was vital in helping the Chennai Super Kings reach the final.

He was consistent with his line and length and picked wickets at crucial junctures in the tournament. Tahir became the oldest player to win the Purple Cap, at the age of 40 years and 73 days.

Kagiso Rabada – 2020 IPL Purple Cap winner

Kagiso Rabada was awarded the Purple Cap for the 2020 IPL. He was a member of the Delhi Capitals squad and took 30 wickets in 17 matches throughout the competition. Rabada, a South African fast bowler, was the tournament's best wicket-taker and was instrumental in helping Delhi Capitals reach the final for the first time in IPL history.

Rabada bowled consistently fast, and accurately, picking up wickets at critical times of the game. The fast bowler became South Africa's second Purple Cap winner in the IPL, following Imran Tahir.

Harshal Patel – 2021 IPL Purple Cap winner

The Chennai Super Kings won the 2021 IPL season; however, the Purple Cap went to Harshal Patel of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Harshal Patel grabbed 32 wickets in 15 matches and had an economy rate of 9.17. He was the first player in IPL history to record a five-wicket haul in the first match of the season, and he also got a hat-trick. Patel's outstanding on-field performance was crucial to RCB's win this season.

Yuzvendra Chahal – 2022 IPL Purple Cap winner

Yuzvendra Chahal of the Rajasthan Royals earned his debut Aramco Purple Cap with 27 wickets in 17 matches, the first time in his IPL career. Rajasthan Royals however lost the finals to Gujarat Titans but Chahal was instrumental in the team’s success throughout the tournament. With RR again having a strong season, could Chahal win the Purple Cap in IPL 2023 again?

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