Orange and Purple Caps in IPL: As the 15th season of the IPL is set to begin in March 2022 in Mumbai and Pune, let’s explore the distinction between the Orange Cap and Purple Cap in India’s premier T20 league. Additionally, we’ll highlight the season-wise winners of both caps and other notable achievements.
Orange and Purple Caps in IPL: Recognizing Excellence of Batters and Bowlers
Bowlers play a crucial role in winning T20 matches, just as much as batters. To acknowledge exceptional performances, the Orange and Purple Caps were introduced during IPL’s inaugural season in 2008. As IPL’s fifteenth season approaches in March 2022, held in Pune and Mumbai, let’s explore the distinctions between the Orange and Purple Caps in this iconic Indian Twenty20 league.
IPL Orange Cap
The Orange Cap, introduced on 25 April 2008, is awarded to the leading run-scorer of the IPL season. The player with the most runs at any given point in the tournament wears the cap while fielding. This iconic recognition allows the player to showcase their batting excellence and stay visible on the field. At the conclusion of the season, the batter with the highest total runs is presented with the Orange Cap award, a symbol of consistency and dominance in the tournament’s batting competition. This award highlights the key contributors to a team’s success with their powerful performances.
IPL Orange Cap: Highlights
- Brandon McCullum was the first player to wear the Orange Cap, while Shaun Marsh became the inaugural Orange Cap winner.
- David Warner is the only player to win the Orange Cap twice, while Chris Gayle claimed it three times.
- Virat Kohli set the record for the most runs in a single IPL season, scoring 973 runs in IPL 2016.
IPL Orange Cap Winners List (2008-2021):
| IPL Season | Player | IPL Team | Matches | Runs |
| 2008 | Shaun Marsh | Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) | 11 | 616 |
| 2009 | Matthew Hayden | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 12 | 572 |
| 2010 | Sachin Tendulkar | Mumbai Indians (MI) | 15 | 618 |
| 2011 | Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | 12 | 608 |
| 2012 | Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | 15 | 733 |
| 2013 | Michael Hussey | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 16 | 733 |
| 2014 | Robin Uthappa | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 16 | 660 |
| 2015 | David Warner | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 14 | 562 |
| 2016 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | 16 | 973 |
| 2017 | David Warner | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 14 | 641 |
| 2018 | Kane Williamson | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 17 | 735 |
| 2019 | David Warner | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 12 | 692 |
| 2020 | KL Rahul | Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) | 14 | 670 |
| 2021 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 16 | 635 |
IPL Purple Cap
The Purple Cap in the IPL is awarded to the bowler with the highest number of wickets in a season. It was introduced on May 13, 2008, during the inaugural IPL season, following the success of the Orange Cap, which recognizes the leading run-scorer. The bowler who takes the most wickets during the tournament is allowed to wear the Purple Cap while fielding in the matches. At the conclusion of the IPL season, the bowler with the most wickets overall is officially presented with the Purple Cap award, solidifying their status as the top wicket-taker of the season.
IPL Purple Cap: Highlights
1- Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir became the first Purple Cap winner.
2- To date, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Dwayne Bravo are the only bowlers to have won the Purple Cap twice.
3- Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel took 32 wickets in the IPL 2013 and IPL 2021 respectively, the most for any bowler in a single edition of the IPL tournament. However, Dwayne Bravo remains ahead of Harshal Patel due to the better economy rate.
IPL Purple Cap Winners List (2008-2021):
| IPL Season | Player | IPL Team | Matches | Wickets |
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 11 | 22 |
| 2009 | R. P. Singh | Deccan Chargers (DC) | 16 | 23 |
| 2010 | Pragyan Ojha | Deccan Chargers (DC) | 16 | 21 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | Mumbai Indians (MI) | 16 | 28 |
| 2012 | Morne Morkel | Delhi Capitals (DC) | 16 | 25 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 18 | 32 |
| 2014 | Mohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 16 | 23 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 16 | 26 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 17 | 23 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 14 | 26 |
| 2018 | Andrew Tye | Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) | 14 | 24 |
| 2019 | Imran Tahir | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 17 | 26 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | Delhi Capitals (DC) | 17 | 30 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | 15 | 32 |