Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bounced back to the summit of the IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru speedster produced a crucial spell on Thursday, striking 3 wickets for 28 runs in his four overs against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and that performance has pushed his wicket tally to 17 from nine matches. With an economy rate of 7.54, he is now leading the season’s wicket-taking charts and opening up a two-wicket buffer over second-placed Eshan Malinga of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has 15 scalps.
Earlier in the week, Malinga had briefly climbed to the top after a focused spell against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. In that game, he returned figures of 1 for 29 in four overs and kept his economy at 7.20 in a match that featured plenty of runs. However, the momentum did not last, as Bhuvneshwar’s outing against GT saw him regain first place immediately.
Bhuvneshwar’s rise is also tied to a landmark in T20 cricket. Reaching 350 or more wickets is a rare feat in the format, and by taking his share of scalps this season he has become only the second Indian to cross the 350-wicket mark in T20s, following Yuzvendra Chahal. Meanwhile, Malinga’s workload against MI brought his IPL 2026 wicket count to 15, moving him beyond a clustered group of bowlers who were all on 14 wickets entering that phase.
Just behind the leading pair, the chase remains tightly packed. Jofra Archer of Rajasthan Royals, Anshul Kamboj of Chennai Super Kings, and Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans are level on 14 wickets each, but they occupy different spots in the table due to their economy rates. Archer is listed third with an economy of 8.27, Kamboj follows in fourth at 8.56, and Rabada sits fifth with an economy of 9.65.
The competition does not ease even outside the top five. Prince Yadav of Lucknow Super Giants is sixth with 13 wickets, while Prasidh Krishna has taken 12 and Ravi Bishnoi has 11, further down the ladder. Rashid Khan and AM Ghazanfar round out the top 10, with 10 wickets apiece, keeping the overall race for the Purple Cap finely balanced as the league stage continues.
IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings
- 1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB) — 17 wickets in 9 matches (35.07 econ). Best: 3/5.
- 2. Eshan Malinga (SRH) — 15 wickets in 9 matches (31.09 econ). Best: 4/32.
- 3. Jofra Archer (RR) — 14 wickets in 9 matches (33.08 econ). Best: 3/20.
- 4. Anshul Kamboj (CSK) — 14 wickets in 8 matches (27.48 econ). Best: 3/22.
- 5. Kagiso Rabada (GT) — 14 wickets in 9 matches (35.09 econ). Best: 3/25.
- 6. Prince Yadav (LSG) — 13 wickets in 8 matches (30.08 econ). Best: 3/27.
- 7. Prasidh Krishna (GT) — 12 wickets in 7 matches (26.10 econ). Best: 4/28.
- 8. Ravi Bishnoi (RR) — 11 wickets in 8 matches (24.09 econ). Best: 4/19.
- 9. Rashid Khan (GT) — 10 wickets in 9 matches (33.08 econ). Best: 3/17.
- 10. AM Ghazanfar (MI) — 10 wickets in 6 matches (20.59 econ). Best: 2/17.
With just a handful of wickets separating the leading contenders, the IPL 2026 Purple Cap race is shaping into a closely fought battle. Every match is likely to have a direct impact on the standings as the league stage draws the top wicket-takers closer together.
