IPL 2022 Playoffs: Predicting 3 bowlers who may win the Purple Cap
IPL 2022 has reached its business end with only four teams, Gujarat Titans (GT), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), left in the fray. No more permutations or combinations remain, and the equation is simple - win one of the Qualifiers and get your hands on the coveted silverware.
This also means that the battles for the IPL Orange Cap - the most runs - and the Purple Cap - the most wickets - only have four games to see off. While Rajasthan's Jos Buttler is quite likely to run away with the former, the latter still has at least three contestants in the thick of it.
Below, we discuss the three and rank them on their chances of winning the IPL 2022 Purple Cap this season.
#1 Yuzvendra Chahal - Rajasthan Royals
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A lot of people wrote Yuzvendra Chahal off after he was ignored for India's 2021 T20 World Cup squad. Varun Chakravarthy's mystery spin and Rahul Chahar's 'fast' leg-spin were touted as his career killers. But here he is, leading the Purple Cap race with 26 wickets from 14 games in IPL 2022 at an average of 16.53.
The 'Royal' switch from Bangalore to Rajasthan seems to have suited him. His combination with Ravichandran Ashwin, who is thrifty from his end whenever he doesn't take wickets, has worked like a charm for the franchise. With one hat-trick, a fifer, and a four-wicket haul this season, Chahal has played a major role in his team's top-two finish.
He'll play at least two more games - and a maximum of three - which will be the perfect chance to take an insurmountable lead in the Purple Cap rankings.
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#2 Wanindu Hasaranga - Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore's decision to let go of Chahal and ask Wanindu Hasaranga to lead their spin attack wasn't favored by many before the season. But the Sri Lankan is now second in the IPL 2022 Purple Cap table, just two wickets behind Chahal, and has also provided a lower-order batting cushion to the team all season.
Delhi Capitals' (DC) loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Saturday allowed the battle between the two leggies to continue. The Royal Challengers have been brilliant this season, putting in team performances when it has mattered. If they can win both the Eliminator against the Super Giants and the second Qualifier, three games would be enough for Hasaranga to give Chahal a run for his money.
The Super Giants are the only IPL team against which Hasaranga hasn't picked a wicket in IPL 2022 yet. If he can change that, the Titans and the Royals should offer him favorable matchups to exploit.
#3 Rashid Khan - Gujarat Titans
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It should come as no surprise that the third name on the list is also a leg-spinner. The brilliantly-managed pitches in Maharashtra, especially the red-soi ones in the second half, were tailor-made conditions for them in IPL 2022.
Rashid Khan has had a relatively quiet season in that regard. His average and economy rate has been higher than what he's used to. But all of the Gujarat Titans' bowlers have contributed brilliantly and almost equally to their success, which has meant Hardik Pandya hasn't needed Rashid to be the strike bowler in every game.
This might change now as the pressure rises and he'll have to turn to the Afghan more and more. Rashid has 18 wickets to his name, eight behind Chahal, but the likely fresher pitches at the Eden Gardens and the Narendra Modi Stadium will suit him more than both Chahal and Hasranga. He'll need three brilliant outings to have a shot at the IPL 2022 Purple Cap. But if the other two competitors falter, anything can happen.