Well, claiming the coveted purple cap award is often hailed as one of the most decorated achievements for the majority of bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as it showcases their unwavering dominance on the opponent teams throughout a particular season of the tournament. The glorious history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been witness to numerous iconic bowlers, including Muttiah Muralitharan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan and many others who have single-handedly destroyed even the greatest batting lineups of multiple prominent IPL franchises with their lethal and downright ruthless bowling attacks.
On the other hand, the star-studded history of the Indian Premier League has also been witness to numerous iconic bowlers who haven’t clinched the purple cap award despite their unmatched bowling prowess. Have you ever wondered about the top four bowlers who have never clinched the prestigious honor even once in their IPL career? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four bowlers who have never clinched the coveted purple cap award as of April 2026.
Top 4 IPL Legends Who Never Won Purple Cap
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Jasprit Bumrah
Often hailed as one of the most deadly bowlers in the history of international cricket, the trailblazing Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah is at the first spot on our list of the top four iconic bowlers who have never won a purple cap award in their IPL careers as of April 2026. Bumrah has been a mainstay for the Mumbai Indians (MI) ever since he made his star-studded debut in IPL 2013 edition and has delivered numerous path-breaking performances picking up the most crucial wickets at the right time for the Mumbai Indians (MI).
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As of April 2026, Bumrah has picked up a record total of 185 wickets for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in a total of 135 matches that he has played so far. Despite his bowling dominance, Bumrah has never clinched the coveted purple cap award, even once in his career as of April 2026.
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Ravichandran Ashwin
At the second spot on our list of the top four bowlers who have never clinched the coveted purple cap award as of April 2026, we have the legendary Indian bowling sensation Ravichandran Ashwin, who is often hailed as one of the most iconic and reliable bowlers in the history of international cricket. Throughout his glorious IPL career which spans from 2009, Ravichandran Ashwin has played a record total of 221 IPL matches and has picked up a blistering total of 187 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.20 and an average of 30.2. Despite being one of the most lethal bowlers, Ravichandran Ashwin has failed to clinch even a single purple cap award as of April 2026, ranking him at the second spot on our list.
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Sunil Narine
Next, at the third spot on our list of the top four iconic bowlers who have never won a purple cap award in their IPL careers, as of April 2026 we have the prominent Trinidadian international cricketer who represented West Indies from 2011 to 2019. Sunil Narine made his star-studded IPL debut in the IPL 2012 edition for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against the Rajasthan Royals on April 8, 2012, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium and has been KKR’s mainstay ever since.
Throughout his star-studded IPL career so far, Sunil Narine has played a record total of 196 test matches and has picked up a dominating total of 199 wickets at an average of 25.0 and an impressive economy rate of 6.79. Despite his unwavering bowling dominance and numerous match-winning performances, Sunil Narine hasn’t been honored with the coveted purple cap award as of April 2026.
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Ravindra Jadeja
Finally, at the fourth spot on our list of the top four bowlers who have never clinched the coveted purple cap award as of April 2026, we have the trailblazing Indian international cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who is often hailed as one of the most reliable all-rounders in the history of international cricket.
Often hailed as one of the most prolific wicket-takers for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Jadeja has played a record total of 263 IPL matches as of April 2026 and has picked up a sensational total of 176 wickets at an economy rate of 7.66, establishing himself as one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the league. Unfortunately, despite his unmatched bowling caliber, Ravindra Jadeja has never clinched the coveted Purple Cap award as of April 2026.
