Jacob Duffy leads the Purple Cap race with 3 wickets at an economy of 5.50.
IPL 2026 Purple Cap race has a clear leader after two matches, with RCB’s Jacob Duffy sitting at the top of the wicket-takers list. The New Zealand seamer returned figures of 3/22 in 4 overs during the season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Three bowlers picked up 3 wickets each across the first two games, but Duffy’s economy of 5.50 separates him from Shardul Thakur and Romario Shepherd.
RCB dominate the early standings with four of the top 10 spots. This article tracks the leading wicket takers in IPL 2026 and will be updated after every match.
IPL 2026 Purple Cap: Complete Top 10 Wicket Takers List
Four teams represented in the top 10 but RCB lead with four bowlers on the list.
RCB’s bowling unit fills nearly half the Purple Cap standings after the opening match against SRH. Sunrisers Hyderabad have three bowlers on the list despite losing their only game. KKR contributes two entries through Sunil Narine and Kartik Tyagi, while Mumbai Indians have Shardul Thakur as their sole representative.
The table below will be updated as the season progresses.
| Pos | Player | Team | Wkts | Mat | Inns | Avg | SR | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaydev Unadkat | SRH | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12.50 | 9.00 | 8.33 |
| 2 | Blessing Muzarabani | KKR | 4 | 2 | 2 | 18.75 | 10.50 | 10.71 |
| 3 | Jacob Duffy | RCB | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7.33 | 8.00 | 5.50 |
| 4 | Prasidh Krishna | GT | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9.67 | 8.00 | 7.25 |
| 5 | T Natarajan | DC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9.67 | 8.00 | 7.25 |
| 6 | Lungi Ngidi | DC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9.00 | 7.33 | 7.36 |
| 7 | Vyshak Vijaykumar | PBKS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11.33 | 8.00 | 8.50 |
| 8 | Shardul Thakur | MI | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13.00 | 8.00 | 9.75 |
| 9 | Romario Shepherd | RCB | 3 | 1 | 1 | 18.00 | 8.00 | 13.50 |
| 10 | Vaibhav Arora | KKR | 3 | 2 | 2 | 33.00 | 16.00 | 12.38 |
Early Bowling Trends Set The Tone For IPL 2026
RCB’s bowling depth stands out with four entries in the first Purple Cap standings.
Bowling in IPL 2026 has been a tough ask so far. Both completed matches produced massive totals, and most bowlers on this list conceded runs at over 9 an over. Duffy’s 5.50 economy is the outlier. That number stands out even more when you consider that the Chinnaswamy is one of the smallest grounds in the IPL.
RCB’s early bowling depth could become a decisive factor in the title defence. As more matches take place, expect this top 10 to change rapidly with each new round of fixtures.
