Yuzvendra Chahal’s IPL 2024 campaign began with the familiar sight of the leg-spinner near the top of the wicket-taking charts.
After Rajasthan Royals’ opening four matches, Chahal had already taken eight wickets and moved into possession of the Purple Cap, which is awarded during the tournament to the current leading wicket-taker.
At the time, his form made him one of the standout bowlers of the early IPL 2024 season.
But one important correction is necessary when looking back at that campaign today:
Yuzvendra Chahal did not finish IPL 2024 as the Purple Cap winner.
He eventually ended the season with 18 wickets from 15 matches, while Harshal Patel finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 24.
Chahal’s season was nevertheless historically significant for another reason.
On April 22, 2024, against Mumbai Indians, he became the first bowler in IPL history to reach 200 wickets.
That milestone strengthened his position as one of the greatest bowlers the Indian Premier League has produced.
Here is the complete story of Chahal’s IPL 2024 season, his early Purple Cap run, 200-wicket milestone and what happened afterward.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s Fast Start to IPL 2024
Rajasthan Royals began IPL 2024 strongly, and Chahal was a major part of their early success.
His ability to attack batters through the middle overs remained one of Rajasthan’s most effective wicket-taking options.
By April 6, after Rajasthan’s fourth match, Chahal had accumulated eight wickets and was leading the tournament’s bowling charts.
Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he returned figures of 2/34 from four overs, dismissing Faf du Plessis and Saurav Chauhan as Rajasthan recorded their fourth consecutive victory.
This is the period the original Buzz Content Corner article referred to when it described Chahal as wearing the Purple Cap.
That was correct at that point in the tournament.
What was incorrect was leaving the article unchanged afterward in a way that now suggests he remained the Purple Cap winner at the end of IPL 2024.
What Is the IPL Purple Cap?
The Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler with the most wickets during an IPL season.
The cap changes hands throughout the tournament as the wicket rankings change.
A player wearing the Purple Cap in April therefore does not necessarily mean that player will receive the award after the final.
That distinction matters in Chahal’s case.
He was the leading wicket-taker early in IPL 2024, but by the end of the tournament several bowlers had moved ahead of him.
Chahal’s Brilliant 3/11 Against Mumbai Indians
One of Chahal’s best performances of IPL 2024 came against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on April 1.
Mumbai had attempted to rebuild after losing early wickets through a partnership between Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma.
Chahal broke that recovery.
He dismissed:
- Hardik Pandya
- Tilak Varma
- Gerald Coetzee
and finished with outstanding figures of 3/11 from four overs.
Rajasthan Royals restricted Mumbai to 125/9 and went on to win by six wickets.
That spell showed what has made Chahal so effective throughout his IPL career.
He does not rely purely on restricting runs.
His primary strength has traditionally been taking wickets in the middle overs, often by tempting batters to attack.
Why Chahal Is So Difficult to Face
Leg-spin in T20 cricket is inherently risky.
A spinner gives the batter time to attack, and modern hitters are constantly looking for sixes.
Chahal’s success has come from accepting that risk.
His bowling relies on several elements:
Flight
Chahal is willing to toss the ball above the batter’s eyeline and encourage an aggressive shot.
Changes of pace
He rarely bowls every delivery at exactly the same speed.
That can disrupt a batter’s timing.
The googly
His wrong’un gives him another option against both right-handed and left-handed batters.
Courage
Perhaps the most important quality is his willingness to continue attacking even after being hit for boundaries.
Many defensive spinners flatten their trajectory after conceding a six.
Chahal has often responded by trying to create another wicket-taking opportunity.
That mindset has been central to his longevity in the IPL.
The Historic 200th IPL Wicket
The defining moment of Chahal’s 2024 season arrived on April 22 against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur.
Mumbai batter Mohammad Nabi attempted to attack Chahal but returned the ball to the bowler.
Chahal completed the catch and became the first bowler in IPL history to reach 200 wickets.
It was an extraordinary milestone considering how difficult it is for bowlers to survive for many seasons in a tournament dominated by aggressive batting.
The official IPL match report described the wicket as the moment Chahal reached a landmark no bowler before him had achieved.
Official IPL report: Chahal reaches 200 wickets
Why 200 IPL Wickets Was Such a Significant Record
IPL bowling records are difficult to build because bowlers face several disadvantages.
They must regularly bowl against:
- elite international batters;
- small boundaries;
- flat pitches;
- aggressive power-hitters;
- impact-player strengthened batting lineups; and
- increasingly high scoring rates.
A bowler also needs longevity.
One poor season can cost a player a contract.
For Chahal to become the first player to reach 200 wickets therefore demonstrated both quality and sustained relevance across different IPL eras.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s Final IPL 2024 Statistics
By the end of the season, Chahal’s numbers were:
| Statistic | IPL 2024 |
|---|---|
| Matches | 15 |
| Wickets | 18 |
| Bowling average | 30.33 |
| Economy rate | 9.41 |
| Strike rate | 19.33 |
| Best performance | 3 wickets |
| Team | Rajasthan Royals |
His 18 wickets kept him among the tournament’s leading bowlers, although his economy rate was higher than in several of his strongest previous seasons.
Rajasthan eventually reached Qualifier 2, where their IPL 2024 campaign ended against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Did Chahal Win the Purple Cap in IPL 2024?
No.
This is the most important correction to the original article.
Chahal held the Purple Cap during the early stages of IPL 2024, but he did not finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
Harshal Patel ultimately won the Purple Cap with 24 wickets.
Chahal finished with 18 wickets.
A more accurate description is:
Yuzvendra Chahal led the IPL 2024 Purple Cap race early in the season before ultimately finishing with 18 wickets.
Chahal Had Already Won a Purple Cap Before 2024
Although Chahal did not win the award in 2024, he already had a Purple Cap on his record.
He won the award in IPL 2022, his first season with Rajasthan Royals.
That year, he took 27 wickets, including a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick. The official IPL profile continues to highlight that 2022 season as one of the defining achievements of his career.
So the accurate career statement is:
Yuzvendra Chahal is a former IPL Purple Cap winner — in 2022 — rather than the 2024 Purple Cap winner.
Chahal’s IPL Career Before Rajasthan Royals
Chahal’s IPL journey did not begin with Rajasthan.
He was initially associated with Mumbai Indians before becoming an important part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
His move to RCB in 2014 changed the direction of his IPL career.
Over eight seasons with Bengaluru, he took 139 wickets, making him the franchise’s leading wicket-taker.
When RCB did not retain him ahead of IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals acquired him for ₹6.5 crore.
He immediately responded with the best season of his IPL career.
2022: Chahal’s Greatest IPL Season
Chahal’s first year with Rajasthan Royals produced:
27 wickets in 17 matches
and the Purple Cap.
That season also included his famous 5/40 against Kolkata Knight Riders, which featured a hat-trick.
The combination of his 2022 Purple Cap and the later 200-wicket record strengthened his claim as one of the competition’s most successful spin bowlers.
IPL 2024 Helped Chahal Return to India’s T20 World Cup Squad
Chahal’s strong start to IPL 2024 also had international significance.
On April 30, 2024, the BCCI named him in India’s 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The squad included both Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav among India’s specialist spin options.
Official BCCI India T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement
His IPL performances had therefore helped keep him firmly in India’s white-ball selection discussion.
Rajasthan Royals Release Chahal Before IPL 2025
Despite his historic achievements for Rajasthan, Chahal’s time with the franchise ended after the 2024 season.
Rajasthan did not retain him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
That placed the league’s all-time leading wicket-taker back into the auction pool.
Punjab Kings made one of the biggest investments of the auction by acquiring Chahal for ₹18 crore.
The price reflected the value teams continued to place on experienced wicket-taking spin.
Chahal’s Extraordinary Comeback Against KKR in IPL 2025
One of Chahal’s finest performances for Punjab Kings came against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 15, 2025.
Punjab had scored only 111.
KKR appeared to be cruising at 62/2 while chasing 112.
Then Chahal changed the match.
He dismissed key middle-order batters and finished with 4/28 from four overs, including 14 dot balls.
KKR collapsed to 95 all out, allowing Punjab Kings to defend the lowest total in IPL history at the time.
Chahal was named Player of the Match.
Official IPL PBKS vs KKR 2025 match report
That performance was a reminder that even after crossing 200 career wickets, Chahal could still decide a match almost single-handedly.
Chahal Takes Another IPL Hat-Trick in 2025
Two weeks later, he produced another memorable performance.
Against Chennai Super Kings on April 30, Chahal took 4/32, including a hat-trick.
His wickets during the dramatic 19th over included MS Dhoni, Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad, with the final three wickets completing the hat-trick.
The official IPL report noted that Chahal became only the third bowler to record at least two IPL hat-tricks and the first to take four wickets in an over on two different occasions.
Official IPL report on Chahal’s 2025 hat-trick
Yuzvendra Chahal IPL 2025 Stats
Chahal finished IPL 2025 with:
- 16 wickets
- 13 bowling innings
- bowling average of 26.88
- economy of 9.56
- best major performance of 4/28
His season was less consistent than his peak years, but it contained two major match-winning performances.
Latest Update: Yuzvendra Chahal in IPL 2026
Punjab Kings retained Chahal ahead of IPL 2026.
He finished the 2026 season with 12 wickets, an average of 32.08 and an economy rate of 9.39. His best spell was 3/36.
One of those standout performances came against his former team Rajasthan Royals, where Chahal took three wickets and briefly disrupted a powerful chase.
His 2026 figures were below his best seasons, but his larger career record remains remarkable.
Chahal Remains the IPL’s All-Time Leading Wicket-Taker
After the 2026 season, Chahal’s overall IPL tally stands at 233 wickets, keeping him at the top of the competition’s all-time bowling list.
That means his career progression around the historic milestone looks like this:
| Stage | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Before reaching milestone | 199 |
| April 22, 2024 | 200th IPL wicket |
| End of IPL 2024 | 205 |
| After IPL 2025 | 221 |
| After IPL 2026 | 233 |
The 200th wicket was therefore not the end of the record chase.
It became the foundation for an even larger all-time mark.
Yuzvendra Chahal IPL Career Highlights
Some of the most important achievements of Chahal’s IPL career include:
- IPL Purple Cap winner in 2022
- 27 wickets in IPL 2022
- first bowler to reach 200 IPL wickets
- all-time IPL leading wicket-taker
- 233 career IPL wickets after 2026
- 139 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- multiple IPL hat-tricks
- five-wicket haul against KKR in 2022
- ₹18 crore move to Punjab Kings in 2025
His career is a strong example of how traditional leg-spin has remained relevant even as IPL scoring rates have risen dramatically.
Why Chahal’s Style Still Works in T20 Cricket
The simplest way to understand Chahal’s value is that he bowls to take wickets.
That occasionally makes him expensive.
But wicket-taking can change a T20 match more dramatically than simply conceding one fewer boundary.
When a partnership is established, captains need a bowler willing to challenge the batter.
Chahal has consistently played that role.
His strongest spells often come when:
- a batting partnership is growing;
- batters are looking to accelerate;
- boundaries are becoming easier; or
- the bowling team desperately needs a wicket.
That is why franchises have continued investing heavily in him even late in his career.
Purple Cap vs All-Time Wicket Record: Which Is More Important?
A Purple Cap measures one great season.
The all-time wicket record measures sustained performance over many seasons.
Chahal has achieved both.
His 2022 Purple Cap demonstrated his ability to dominate an individual season.
His position as the IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker demonstrates something harder:
longevity.
Very few bowlers remain first-choice IPL players for more than a decade.
Chahal has managed to do that while playing a role — attacking leg-spin — that inherently carries considerable risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Yuzvendra Chahal win the Purple Cap in IPL 2024?
No. Chahal held the Purple Cap during the early stages of the season but finished IPL 2024 with 18 wickets. Harshal Patel finished as the season’s leading wicket-taker with 24.
How many wickets did Yuzvendra Chahal take in IPL 2024?
Chahal took 18 wickets from 15 matches for Rajasthan Royals.
When did Chahal take his 200th IPL wicket?
He reached the milestone on April 22, 2024, against Mumbai Indians by dismissing Mohammad Nabi.
Who was the first bowler to take 200 wickets in IPL history?
Yuzvendra Chahal was the first.
Has Chahal ever won the Purple Cap?
Yes. He won the IPL Purple Cap in 2022, when he took 27 wickets for Rajasthan Royals.
What was Chahal’s best performance in IPL 2024?
One of his best spells was 3/11 against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium.
Which team did Chahal join after Rajasthan Royals?
Punjab Kings bought him for ₹18 crore ahead of IPL 2025.
How many IPL wickets does Yuzvendra Chahal have after IPL 2026?
He has 233 IPL wickets, the most in the competition’s history.
Final Takeaway
Yuzvendra Chahal’s IPL 2024 story was bigger than the Purple Cap.
He started the season brilliantly and briefly led the tournament’s wicket-taking charts with eight wickets after Rajasthan Royals’ first four matches.
He did not ultimately win the 2024 Purple Cap.
Instead, he finished with 18 wickets while Harshal Patel ended the season as the leading wicket-taker.
But Chahal achieved something arguably more significant during that same campaign.
On April 22, 2024, he became the first bowler in IPL history to take 200 wickets.
The milestone added another chapter to a career that already included a 2022 Purple Cap, a five-wicket haul, a hat-trick and years of success for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.
His career continued after Rajasthan released him.
Punjab Kings paid ₹18 crore for him in 2025, and Chahal responded with a match-winning 4/28 against Kolkata Knight Riders and another IPL hat-trick against Chennai Super Kings.
After IPL 2026, his career tally stands at 233 wickets, keeping him at the top of the IPL’s all-time wicket list.
So the accurate way to remember Chahal’s 2024 season is not:
“Yuzvendra Chahal won the IPL 2024 Purple Cap.”
It is:
“Yuzvendra Chahal led the Purple Cap race early, took 18 wickets and became the first bowler in IPL history to reach 200 wickets.”
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