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IPL 2021: 3 players who could have won the Purple Cap

IPL 2021: 3 players who could have won the Purple Cap

DATE

06 May 2021

IPL 2021: 3 players who could have won the Purple Cap

The first half of the now-curtailed IPL 2021 saw some stupendous bowling performances. Whether it was Harshal Patel's unforeseen rise to become a death-bowling superstar, Rahul Chahar's spin wizardry to bolster his team's middle-overs prowess or Andre Russell's record-breaking fifer.

However, only a few were able to stake their claim on the prestigious Purple Cap which is awarded to the top wicket-taker every year.

Winning the Purple Cap requires consistency, adaptability and sheer aplomb. Even the best in the white-ball business, like Jasprit Bumrah, Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal, have found it elusive.

Last year's chart-toppers Kagiso Rabada, Bumrah, Trent Boult and Anrich Nortje were nowhere near repeating the feat in IPL 2021, and we had some new icons emerge from obscurity.

Let's look at the three players who could have won the Purple Cap had IPL 2021 gone as planned.

3 players who could have won the Purple Cap in IPL 2021


#3 Chris MorrisRajasthan Royals had courted a deluge of lampooning by signing Chris Morris for a massive INR 16.25 crore. However, the South African all-rounder came good for his price with both bat and ball.

In the pressing absence of both Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, Morris stood up as Sanju Samson's most experienced operator. In seven games, the 34-year-old picked up 14 wickets at a staggering average of 16.

His economy rate hovered around 8.62 which was substantial considering he bowled in the most difficult phases of the game.

Morris' inconsistency with the ball was one of his most vexing issues in the past. But this season the all-rounder was on the money more often than not, bowling at hard lengths and rarely spraying on the leg-side.

Morris' spell of 4-23 against the Kolkata Knight Riders - including wickets of Russel, Dinesh Karthik and Pat Cummins - was one of the best of IPL 2021. Had the season continued, Morris would have been one of the front runners for the Purple Cap.


#2 Avesh KhanPrior to IPL 2021, Avesh Khan had played nine IPL matches across four seasons, collecting five wickets. His last two campaigns in the tournament went wicketless and he cost over 10 runs per over consistently in the last three years.

No one would have thought that the same right-arm pacer would be IPL 2021's second-highest wicket-taker. In eight games in the 14th edition, Avesh accounted for 14 batsmen, including the big three in Indian cricket - MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

His average of 16.50 and an economy rate of 7.70 are nothing but impressive. The 24-year-old kept to his strengths throughout the tournament, holding on to nagging lines and lengths, hurrying the batsmen with pace and using his cutters and slower-ones as the surprise ingredient.

Avesh's rise allowed the Delhi Capitals to sit Nortje out and play an extra overseas batsman in the shape of Steve Smith. This ultimately worked wonders for their stability in the points table.

Avesh's wicket-taking consistency could be gaged by the fact that he doesn't feature in the top-15 bowling performances but still ranks second on the total wickets chart.

With these skills, it wouldn't have been a surprise if Avesh donned the Purple Cap at the end of IPL 2021.


#1 Harshal PatelHarshal Patel took IPL 2021 by storm by romping to a five-wicket haul in the tournament opener. The Purple Cap stuck to him like a crown from here on and no bowler could displace it in the first half of IPL 2021.

Harshal concluded the truncated season with 17 wickets at an unbelievable aggregate of 15.12. The wiry all-rounder from Haryana was the death-overs specialist for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Virat Kohli often brought him in the eighth over and matched him up against every opposition's biggest hitters. And Patel delivered game after game, giving his captain the luxury of using other bowlers freely.

Patel's assortment of variations ranged from off-cutters, leg-cutters and slow-bouncers to blistering yorkers. Patel had the dexterity, the X-factor, the backing of the team management, and perhaps even luck on his side to etch his name in IPL history.

He, along with Avesh and Morris, will get the chance to fight for the Purple Cap once again, whenever IPL 2021 resumes.