Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming IPL 2025 season, and he has some exciting predictions. He believes that Sai Sudharsan from Gujarat Titans is going to have an amazing season and finish as the highest run-scorer. Sudharsan, who is just 23 and hails from Tamil Nadu, has the potential to really shine for his team. Jaffer is also rooting for Arshdeep Singh from Punjab Kings to be the one to take home the Purple Cap, which is given to the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. These two talented players are set to clash on March 25, when Gujarat takes on Punjab.
Last season, Arshdeep had an impressive run, grabbing 19 wickets at an average of about 26. It’s worth mentioning that while he did well, he sometimes gave away a few too many runs, which can happen in T20 cricket. Jaffer took to Twitter to engage fans before the tournament starts, asking them to share their predictions for who will win the Orange and Purple Caps this year. He’s leaning towards Sudharsan and Arshdeep himself.
IPL is almost here. Drop your orange cap, purple cap predictions below. I'm leaning towards Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep. #IPL2025
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 22, 2025
Over the past two seasons of the IPL, both the top batsman and top bowler caps have been claimed by Indian players. In IPL 2024, we saw the talented Virat Kohli take the Orange Cap, while Harshal Patel earned the Purple Cap. The previous season, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami also picked up these prestigious honors, helping Gujarat Titans to finish as runners-up. In the season before that, England star Jos Buttler was the top scorer, and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada was the leading wicket-taker.
Sudharsan might take on the No. 3 spot in the batting lineup this time around. He didn’t have a big role in the last season, but with some changes in the team, he could find himself back in that position. After undergoing surgery for a hernia last December, he’s been on the mend and has only played one game since then. His only recent outing was with Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Vidarbha, where he struggled a bit, scoring just nine runs in total across both innings.
On the other hand, Arshdeep didn’t play in the Indian team’s successful Champions Trophy run, but he has been making a name for himself in the IPL. In their last matchup, Sudharsan managed to score 31 runs off 34 balls against Arshdeep, while the bowler took one wicket in just over a dozen deliveries. Interestingly, Sudharsan has actually fared pretty well against Arshdeep. In the 2023 IPL season, he scored 31 runs off 20 balls against him, with a solid strike rate of 155, demonstrating that he can hold his own even against quality bowlers.
With the tournament around the corner, fans are buzzing with excitement, and these predictions from Jaffer only add to the anticipation. The showdown between Sudharsan and Arshdeep is one to watch, as both players are keen to prove themselves and make an impact in this high-stakes competition.
