IPL 2026: The high-stakes clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) was a bowler’s paradise. With both teams battling it out in the business end of the tournament, all eyes were on the bowling charts. After the last delivery of the match, the race for the coveted Purple Cap heated up considerably, with an old Indian maestro hanging on to his crown by a whisker.
Bhuvneshwar Edges Rabada
Veteran swing specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to retain his lead at the top of the Purple Cap leaderboard. Bhuvneshwar has been the backbone of RCB’s bowling attack this season, claiming 26 wickets in 15 matches at an incredible economy rate of 8.00.
But the Gujarat Titans speedster Kagiso Rabada is putting a lot of pressure on his spot. After the clash on May 26, Rabada has 26 wickets from 15 matches. Bhuvneshwar pipped the South African pace ace on a better bowling average (18.15 to Rabada’s 21.03) and set the stage for a box-office finish to the remaining games.
The Chasing Pack
At number 3, Rajasthan Royals Jofra Archer has claimed 21 wickets from 14 games and has been a lethal threat in the death overs. Anshul Kamboj, the breakout star of Chennai Super Kings, bagged 21 wickets in the 2026 season, equalling Archer’s tally and making him one of the most exciting young Indian pacers despite an expensive economy rate of 10.52.
Gujarat Titans’ spin wizard Rashid Khan is comfortably placed at the fifth position with 19 wickets, keeping a tight leash on the middle overs. Close on his heels is Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Eshan Malinga, who also has bagged 19 wickets.
IPL 2026 Purple Cap Leaderboard After RCB vs GT Match On May 26
| POS | Player | Team | Wkts | Mat | Econ | Avg | BBI |
| 1 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | 26 | 15 | 8.00 | 18.15 | 3/4 |
| 2 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 26 | 15 | 9.48 | 21.03 | 5/32 |
| 3 | Jofra Archer | RR | 21 | 14 | 8.76 | 21.71 | 7/3 |
| 4 | Anshul Kamboj | CSK | 21 | 14 | 10.52 | 25.23 | 22/3 |
| 5 | Rashid Khan | GT | 19 | 15 | 8.77 | 23.47 | 33/4 |
| 6 | Eshan Malinga | SRH | 19 | 14 | 9.27 | 24.57 | 32/4 |
| 7 | Kartik Tyagi | KKR | 18 | 14 | 9.76 | 27.66 | 22/3 |
| 8 | Mohammed Siraj | GT | 17 | 15 | 8.96 | 28.47 | 26/3 |
| 9 | Prince Yadav | LSG | 16 | 14 | 8.82 | 28.68 | 32/4 |
| 10 | Rasikh Dar | RCB | 16 | 11 | 9.73 | 23.62 | 24/4 |
As playoff line-ups solidify, the battle between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada will likely go down to the wire. One big spell in the upcoming matches could seal the ultimate bowling honour of IPL 2026.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
