Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 226 wickets in the Indian Premier League from 2011 to 2026. He played 206 matches in that time for Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His best season came in 2026, when he took 28 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and finished one wicket behind Purple Cap winner Kagiso Rabada.
What makes his record stand out is how long it lasted. Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the Purple Cap in 2016 and again in 2017, the only bowler to win the award in back to back seasons. He then went through injuries and lean years, yet he came back to produce his best ever season at the age of 36. This page gives his full season by season wickets record, so you can see every rise and fall in one place.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar IPL Wickets Year by Year Overview
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Total IPL wickets | 226 |
| Total IPL matches | 206 |
| IPL seasons played | 2011 to 2026 |
| Teams | Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Best season | 2026, 28 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Purple Caps | 2016 and 2017 |
| Best bowling figures | 5/19 in 2017 |
| Career average | 26.16 |
| Career economy rate | 7.71 |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Wickets in Every IPL Season
| Season | Team | Matches | Wickets | Best Figures | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Pune Warriors India | 4 | 3 | 2/14 | 22.33 | 6.09 |
| 2012 | Pune Warriors India | 11 | 8 | 2/9 | 35.12 | 7.20 |
| 2013 | Pune Warriors India | 16 | 13 | 3/18 | 28.53 | 6.50 |
| 2014 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 20 | 4/14 | 17.70 | 6.65 |
| 2015 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 18 | 3/26 | 22.61 | 7.87 |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 17 | 23 | 4/29 | 21.30 | 7.42 |
| 2017 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 26 | 5/19 | 14.19 | 7.05 |
| 2018 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 12 | 9 | 3/26 | 39.33 | 7.66 |
| 2019 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 15 | 13 | 2/24 | 35.46 | 7.81 |
| 2020 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 4 | 3 | 2/25 | 33.00 | 6.98 |
| 2021 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 11 | 6 | 1/16 | 55.83 | 7.97 |
| 2022 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 12 | 3/22 | 31.92 | 7.34 |
| 2023 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 16 | 5/30 | 26.56 | 8.33 |
| 2024 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 16 | 11 | 3/41 | 48.45 | 9.35 |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 14 | 17 | 3/33 | 28.41 | 9.29 |
| 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 16 | 28 | 4/23 | 17.89 | 7.95 |
| Total | Three teams | 206 | 226 | 5/19 | 26.16 | 7.71 |
Record History
Bhuvneshwar Kumar started slowly. He played only 4 matches in 2011 and took 3 wickets for Pune Warriors India. He got more games in 2012 and 2013, and his wickets rose to 8 and then 13. His economy rate stayed low in all three Pune seasons, which showed early that he could control runs even when wickets were few.
The move to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014 changed his career. He took 20 wickets in his first season for the team, then 18 in 2015. In 2016 he took 23 wickets in 17 matches and won his first Purple Cap as Sunrisers Hyderabad won the title. In 2017 he was even better, with 26 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 14.19 and an economy rate of 7.05. That gave him a second Purple Cap in a row, a feat no other bowler has matched in IPL history.
The next few years were harder. He took 9 wickets in 2018 and 13 in 2019, and injuries cut his 2020 season to just 4 matches and 3 wickets. In 2021 he took only 6 wickets in 11 matches, his lowest full season total. He recovered to 12 wickets in 2022 and 16 in 2023, including a five wicket haul of 5/30, but 2024 was again poor, with 11 wickets at an average of 48.45.
His move to Royal Challengers Bengaluru brought a late career revival. He took 17 wickets in 2025 as the team won its first IPL title. In 2026 he went further, taking 28 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 17.89 and an economy rate of 7.95. That is the most wickets ever taken by a bowler in a title winning IPL season, and it helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru win back to back titles. The season figures are taken from season stats published on the official IPL website and cross checked against other season records.
What This Record Tells Us
Bhuvneshwar Kumar built his record on control, not speed. His best seasons came when his economy rate was close to 7 runs per over, which forced batters to take risks against him. When his economy rate rose above 9 in 2024 and 2025, his wicket totals did not rise with it, which shows how much his game depends on keeping runs down.
His record also shows rare staying power. Very few fast bowlers stay effective in the IPL for 16 seasons. Sunil Narine built a long IPL career too, but as a spinner with a very different style. Among fast bowlers, Harshal Patel also won the Purple Cap twice, in 2021 and 2024, yet he never won it in back to back seasons like Bhuvneshwar Kumar did. For the biggest stages, the list of bowlers with most wickets in IPL playoffs gives useful context on who delivered when titles were on the line, and the wider record of most wickets against each team shows how a long career spreads across every opponent.
The 2026 season changed how his career will be remembered. Instead of ending as a bowler whose best years were in 2016 and 2017, he finished a title winning season as the second highest wicket taker in the league. That late peak is what lifts his total to 226 wickets and puts him among the most successful bowlers the IPL has seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many IPL wickets has Bhuvneshwar Kumar taken?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 226 wickets in 206 IPL matches from 2011 to 2026.
What is Bhuvneshwar Kumar best IPL season for wickets?
His best season is 2026, when he took 28 wickets in 16 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru at an average of 17.89.
How many Purple Caps has Bhuvneshwar Kumar won?
He has won two Purple Caps, in 2016 with 23 wickets and in 2017 with 26 wickets. He is the only bowler to win the Purple Cap in back to back seasons.
What are Bhuvneshwar Kumar best bowling figures in the IPL?
His best figures are 5/19, taken in the 2017 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He also took 5/30 in 2023.
Which teams has Bhuvneshwar Kumar played for in the IPL?
He played for Pune Warriors India from 2011 to 2013, Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2014 to 2024, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and 2026.
How many wickets did Bhuvneshwar Kumar take in 2017?
He took 26 wickets in 14 matches in 2017, which won him the Purple Cap for the second season in a row.
Did Bhuvneshwar Kumar win an IPL title?
Yes. He won the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and 2026.
Statistics updated through: 26 October 2026
