Having provided tips on the best picks for the most wickets in the tournament overall, we turn our attention to predictions for the top wicket taker at each of the 8 IPL 2021 teams including CSK, DC, KKR, MI, PBKS, RCB, RR and SRH.
Once again we are faced with most IPL teams having 2 or 3 realistic options to be their top wicket taker in 2021 and therefore this article looks to establish which of those options presents the best value tip and where in some cases hedging your bets across multiple bowlers might be the best way to go when considering who a franchise’s leading wicket taker will be this year.
CSK top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Shardul Thakar
The man with the golden arm or more yellow I guess when it comes to playing for CSK! Thakar has been a potent wicket taker for India in white ball cricket these past couple of years and CSK will hope that he can take that form into IPL 2021 as they look to climb back up the table. His ability to bowl into the surface and make batsmen hit cross batted shots to fielders waiting in the deep is his primary strength and with CSK not having a huge number of options at the death, he may well get the chance to pick up wickets during a phase of the game when risk taking is at its highest. The best thing about Thakar is you can back him at very generous odds of 7.0 to be CSK’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021!
Delhi Capitals top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Kagiso Rabada
Rabada is of course the favourite both to be Delhi’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021 and to defend his purple cap from last season. His potency at the death is well known and he has the added bonus this year of playing on pitches that are likely to suit quick bowlers. He already has an excellent record at the Wankhede and Eden Garden where DC play 8 of their matches and we saw from the recently completed T20 series between India and England that the new stadium in Ahmedabad also offers something for the quicks. As such he definitely deserves his favourite tag and you back him to be DC’s leading wicket taker in 2021 at odds of 2.20.
KKR top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Pat Cummins is the favourite to be KKR’s top wicket taker but we saw him struggle to live up to his price tag last season and in general I think that picking bowlers who bowl their overs at the death is the way to go when trying to find value and with Cummins he’s likely to be used primarily in the powerplay.
Prasidh Krishna
As such Prasidh Krishna who impressed on debut for India recently and demonstrated an ability to hit a good yorker could yet be the man to back as KKR’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021. Even in his fledgling career to date he strikes at a wicket every 2 overs at the death compared to Cummins who is closer to 3 in that regard. You can also get very good value on him topping the wicket taking charts for his team at odds of 9.0
Varun Chakravarthy
If backing a youngster like Prasidh to be leading wicket taker is a little bit of a long shot for you then you might consider hedging your bets with some money on Varun Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy was sent home from India’s T20 squad for failing a fitness test but the fact that he was invited in the first place in a country not short on spin options shows what a rare talent he his. Having a bowler capable of spinning the balls both ways is a must in T20 cricket and KKR are likely to see Chakravarthy as their main man in that respect during IPL 2021. With their opening 3 games on the spinning tracks of Chennai, Chakravarthy has a great chance to get ahead in the race to be KKR’s top wicket taker and you can back him at odds of 4.5
Mumbai Indians top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Jasprit Bumrah
Again, we are offering a prediction for a bowler here who will be delivering the bulk of his overs at the business ends of the innings where statistically the most wickets will fall. Of course, Bumrah has a rich pedigree as a specialist death bowler and it’s no great surprise that he is the favourite to be Mumbai Indians leading wicket taker again in IPL 2021. You can back him to regain that crown at odds of 2.10
Rahul Chahar
Smart money will also be staked on young Rahul Chahar who as a wrist spinner has the luxury of bowling in part of an attack that he knows will offer very few freebies to the opposition batsmen. As a result, teams will be forced to go after Chahar and that is where he is at his most dangerous. Mumbai will also be starting their tournament with 5 matches on the turning tracks of Chennai where Chahar should be in his element. You can back him to finish at MI’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021 at odds of 4.5
Punjab Kings top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
PBKS are a tricky one to provide a prediction for because their bowling attack has undergone such radical changes in the close season and it’s difficult to tell who will be first choice amongst their overseas seam options. As such it’s probably best to stick to the home grown bowler options of Mohammed Shami at odds of 2.75 or Ravi Bishnoi at 4.50 to be their top wicket taker of IPL 2021 for the simple reason that they are likely to play all the games! At the same time, I don’t believe that either represents fantastic value for money for a team that had problems taking regular wicket throughout last year’s tournament.
RCB top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Yuzvendra Chahal
The little leggie has been way out in front as RCB’s leading wicket taker for the past 2 IPL seasons and with RCB making few real changes to that bowling line-up it’s difficult to see who will prevent Chahal making it 3 years in a row. You can back him to continue to be his team’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021 at odds of 2.10.
Mohammed Siraj
If you do fancy at outsider to take Chahal’s top wicket taker crown at RCB then Siraj may be the man to back. He only played 9 IPL matches last season but managed to take 11 wickets in that time at a better strike rate than Chahal. If he gets more overs this year then he certainly should at the very least close the gap between the rest of the attack and Chahal and as such backing him at odds of 6.0 to be RCB’s leading wicket taker in IPL 2021 looks like good value.
Rajasthan Royals top wicket predictions IPL 2021
With last season’s MVP Jofra Archer likely to miss most it not all of IPL 2021, the field to be The Royals top wicket taker for IPL 2021 has been thrown wide opn.
Chris Morris
The Royals paid a record sum at auction for Chris Morris because he has real pedigree as a death bowler who strikes once every 11 deliveries during the final 5 overs of matches in the IPL. Of course, he would have been most effective in a side that had Archer’s wicket taking prowess in the powerplay and it remains to be seen whether RR will look to replace their injured star man and help to balance the attack. Still you can back Morris to be Rajasthan’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021 at odds of 5.0
SRH top wicket taker predictions IPL 2021
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Buvi was also our number 1 prediction to win the purple cap in IPL 2021 and again for SRH he represents great value at odds of 4.33 to continue his return to form and fitness and finish the season as the team’s top wicket taker. Dangerous with the new ball and brilliant at the death, Buvi is primed to lead a strong SRH attack that could yet challenge for the title in IPL 2021.
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan is the favourite to be SRH’s leading wicket taker in the IPL at odds of 2.20 and given his consistency over the past few seasons you can see why. Even where many teams have been happy to sit on Rashid and see his 4 overs out, the Afghan master spinner has been able to break through and with Buvi back in the attack it’s debatable as to whether sides will have the luxury of seeming him out this year. As such even at the relatively short odds on offer, he represents a good bet to be his team’s top wicket taker in IPL 2021.