One of the most fascinating things about any Indian Premier League season is the race for the purple cap which is given the bowler who takes the most wickets in the tournament. That race is expected to be equally as fierce this year with most of the very best bowlers in the game out in India looking to take some scalps over the six weeks of the tournament.
Bowlers young and old are assigned with the task of handling the quality of batting in this tournament and those who offer real quality tend to separate themselves from the pack.
Recent Winners
2016 – Bhuvneshwar Kumar
2015 – Dwayne Bravo
2014 – Mohit Sharma
2013 – Dwayne Bravo
2012 – Morne Morkel
2011 – Lasith Malinga
2010 – Pragyan Ojha
2009 – RP Singh
2008 – Sohail Tanvir
Overview
It probably comes as a surprise that in eight of the nine seasons so far the leading bowler has been a seamer. I would imagine that is down to the cheap wickets that can be picked up at the end of an innings and certainly Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, RP Singh and Sohail Tanvir were all well accustomed at the death of an innings. Once again leading lights come to the fore here too.
Market Leaders
Sunil Narine heads into the season as the 10/1 favourite in this market but he only averaged a wicket a game for Kolkata last season and I’m not convinced he is any better now. He’ll be economical but that doesn’t necessarily mean wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the field for wickets last season. He is a real high class campaigner but he’s in a very strong Sunrisers’ bowling attack which could make the 14/1 about him look a touch skinny but he’ll bowl at the beginning and the end of an innings which is a positive.
Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best death bowlers in India as we saw in one of the India vs England T20 matches when he defended next to nothing in the final over. That alone will get him some wickets but with Malinga, Johnson and others around how many will be left to take by then?
Dhawal Kulkarni had a brilliant season for the Gujarat Lions last year and they’ll need him to go well this season too if they are to be in the mix. He’s 16/1 to top the bowling charts but others are preferred. Yuzvendra Chahal is the same price and offers much more appeal.
Leg spinners Amit Mishra, Adam Zampa, Murugan Ashwin and Imran Tahir are all priced between 20/1 and 22/1 although the latter will miss some of the tournament when he goes off on international duty.
Profile
In an ideal world we are looking for someone who will bowl at the death of an innings or who will bowl after a good new ball spell when batsmen will be on the attack to make up ground. With wicket totals much lower than run totals the more matches a bowler can play the better a chance he stands of nailing the honours so stick to players from fancied sides.
Betting
Yuzvendra Chahal has finished third and second in the last two seasons in the bowling charts and at 16/1 he is almost a no brainer to be backed here. Batsmen are always going to go after him because 200 isn’t even par in Bangalore and his flight and his disguise have him all over most batsmen even at this level. He took six wickets in a T20 against England recently to show his mystery remains intact and he’s my idea of the top bowler here.
Ashish Nehra is a real wicket taker when he is fit. He hasn’t played full campaigns in the last two seasons but he is averaging well over a wicket a match for the games that he has played and when you think 18 wickets placed last year if he can have an entire campaign and maintain that average he won’t be too far away. Batsmen might get after him knowing they may not get many off Mustafizur at the death which is perfect. The last time Nehra played a full season he came fourth and so he’s worth a punt.
Another side with a strong bowling attack is the Mumbai Indians and with Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Johnson around batsmen are going to have to go after somebody because scoring eight an over off them three isn’t guaranteed. The man they go after could be Krunal Pandya. The left arm spinner is better than a regulation spinner though and with plenty of left armers around this tournament he should get some rough to bowl into the longer the season goes on. If he is the man they go after he could pick up enough cheap wickets to be competitive in this market.
Tips
Back Y.Chahal Top Tournament Bowler (e/w) for a 2/10 stake at 17.00 with Paddy Power (1/4 1-4)
Back A.Nehra Top Tournament Bowler (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with Paddy Power (1/4 1-4)
Back them here:
Back K.Pandya Top Tournament Bowler (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with William Hill (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
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