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After securing four wickets against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 20, Delhi Capitals' (DC) left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav has joined the IPL 2024 purple cap contention for the first time this season. Kuldeep replaces his teammate Khaleel Ahmed, who drops out of the top five in the standings after going wicketless against SRH. Currently, Kuldeep is just one wicket behind Mustafizur Rahman of the Chennai Super Kings, who holds the fourth position. Mustafizur claimed a wicket against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 19. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians' bowler Gerald Coetzee and Rajasthan Royals' spinner Yuzvendra Chahal occupy the second and third spots, respectively. Leading the purple cap race is Mumbai Indians' premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who secured a three-wicket haul against the Punjab Kings on April 18.
Here is the updated list of bowlers in contention for the Purple Cap after DC vs SRH:
1. Jasprit Bumrah (MI): The fiery pacer is back in top form, striking fear into batsmen once again. Bumrah leads the pack with 13 wickets from seven matches, maintaining a superb economy rate of 5.96. He even ripped through RCB's batting line-up with a five-wicket haul on April 11th.
2. Yuzvendra Chahal (RR): Rajasthan's star leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, is hot on Bumrah's heels, just one wicket behind the leader. Chahal has been economical as well, conceding only 8.34 runs per over while picking up 12 wickets in seven matches. He added another wicket against KKR on April 16th.
3. Gerald Coetzee (MI): South Africa's pace sensation, Gerald Coetzee, has burst onto the scene. He rocketed into contention after a stellar performance against PBKS on April 18th, claiming three wickets and giving away only 32 runs. However, his overall economy rate sits at a higher 9.92 across his seven matches with 12 wickets.
4. Mustafizur Rahman (CSK): The experienced Mustafizur Rahman has clawed his way back into the top five wicket-takers. The CSK pacer has grabbed 11 wickets from just six matches, although his economy rate is a bit higher at 9.41. He recently picked up a wicket against LSG while conceding 43 runs in his overs.
5. Kuldeep Yadav (DC): Despite missing three matches due to injury, Indian wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has made a strong comeback. In just five matches, he's already taken 10 wickets with a very promising economy of 7.60. This impressive performance makes him the second spinner, alongside Chahal, in the race for the Purple Cap.
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | WICKETS | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | ECONOMY |
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah | MI | 13 | 7 | 167 | 12.85 | 5.96 |
| 2 | Yuzuvendra Chahal | RR | 12 | 7 | 217 | 18.08 | 8.34 |
| 3 | Gerald Coetzee | MI | 12 | 7 | 263 | 21.92 | 9.92 |
| 4 | Mustafizur Rahman | CSK | 11 | 6 | 226 | 20.54 | 9.41 |
| 5 | Kuldeep Yadav | DC | 10 | 5 | 152 | 15.20 | 7.60 |
| 6 | Kagiso Rabada | PBKS | 10 | 7 | 233 | 23.3 | 8.32 |
| 7 | T Natarajan | SRH | 10 | 5 | 170 | 17.0 | 8.50 |
| 8 | Sam Curran | PBKS | 10 | 7 | 193 | 19.3 | 8.77 |
| 9 | Khaleel Ahmed | DC | 10 | 8 | 280 | 28.0 | 9.03 |
| 10 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 10 | 7 | 263 | 26.3 | 10.11 |
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Purple Cap's history
Notably, the Purple Cap, awarded to the IPL's leading wicket-taker, is a coveted prize. While most seasons see a new champion emerge, Bhuvneshwar Kumar remains the sole player to claim it in back-to-back years. The record for most wickets in a single season is a thrilling tie. Both Harshal Patel (2021) and Dwayne Bravo (2013) finished strong, securing the Purple Cap with an impressive haul. The inaugural season in 2008 saw Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir become the first Purple Cap winner with 22 wickets. The following year, RP Singh, a former Indian left-arm pacer, outshone Tanvir by taking 23 wickets in South Africa. Pragyan Ojha, former Indian spinner, joined the winners' circle in 2010 with 21 scalps, before overseas players started dominating the race.
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