An IPL game is not just about the pressure one puts in the powerplay or the death overs, it is also about how one maintains the pressure in the middle when the field is relatively open and batsmen look to settle. In such a situation, the spinners generally make or break a game. Spinners do play a very important role in T20 cricket and here are the top 5 spinners of IPL 2020:
1) Imran Tahir
The highest wicket-taker of the league was a dancing South African leg spinner who doesn’t seem like a 40-year-old. Tahir more than the statistics enjoyed every ball he bowled in the 17 innings. His tally of 26 wickets was just a bonus. The leg spinner’s economy rate of 6.69 runs per over was one of the best in the league and his strike rate couldn’t be any less than extraordinary. In due course, he bettered Sunil Narine’s 24 wickets (2012) which were the record for the highest (spinner) wicket-taker in the league’s history. We are hopeful that the energetic Imran will spin his magic in IPL 2020.
2) Shreyas Gopal
The 26-year-old ensured that Jaipur stayed as Rajasthan Royals’ invincible fort by challenging each batsman stepping on the pitch. The loopy leg spinner not only claimed crucial wickets but also didn’t give away runs. Gopal finished the season with 20 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 17.35. His economy rate (7.22) was more than competent for an international league like IPL. “Any wicket is a big wicket but obviously these two are big names so it feels that much better. But I feel I shouldn’t be getting ahead of myself and stay calm,” Gopal said after he claimed Virat Kohli and Ab De Villiers in the same match and paved a comfortable 7 wicket victory for his side.
Young Gopal will be one of the mainstays of the Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack in IPL 2020.
3) Ravichandran Ashwin
The Kings XI Punjab captain didn’t fear to toss the ball and go for wickets. Although he just had 15 wickets to his name after 14 games and was placed at the 13th rung of the table, most of Ashwin’s wickets were the opponent’s best players. He surely impressed all the critics with his economy of 7.27 runs per over. In doing so, Ravichandran Ashwin played a very pivotal role in Punjab’s campaign and so he makes it into this list.
“Once I have become an expert and I am paid for it, I would do that job [assess other spinners]. But right now, I would like to think that I am right up there and I have been for a long time now. It’s my 11th season of the IPL, so I would like to think I have done a fairly good job,” Ashwin told Hindustan times.
Playing for a new team and challenging the young duo of Chahal and Kuldeep in India’s limited-overs team, Ashwin has a big point to prove in IPL 2020.
4) Yuzvendra Chahal
If you call bowling at Chinnaswamy a punishment, then Chahal has mastered this punishment. For a leg spinner who plays at such a small ground, Yuzi has been excellent at his job. A part of this credit goes to skipper Virat Kohli also, as he was the one who never feared to get Chahal in the power play overs also. The leg spinner claimed 18 wickets in 14 matches at a strike rate of 16.44. His four-wicket haul against the Mumbai Indians at Bangalore can be set as the highlights of Yuzvendra Chahal’s IPL 2019.
Chahal is the leading spinner for Indian in limited-overs cricket and he will be given a lot of responsibility and a big role by the RCB team management in IPL 2020.
5) Rashid Khan
This wasn’t the best from this Afghani leg spinner, the batsman could read him and work his balls around for easy singles but if he was a performance good enough to feature in this list. Khan claimed 17 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 6.28 runs per over which was one of the best in the season. He choked runs when required but failed to fill the wickets column as he did in his debut IPL season.
However, Rashid’s passion was praised when he along with Mohammed Nabi played the eliminator despite fasting for Ramadan.
