10 Spinners to watch out for in the IPL 2016

The recently concluded World T20 witnessed the spinners having a great time and the trend is likely to continue in the Indian Premier League as well. Spinners play a key role in the T20 format where pace off the ball does the trick on pitches which are generally good for batting. Many of the Indian pitches will be slow and the tweakers will be itching to make an impact on the popular league. So here we bring to you the spinners to watch out for in the IPL 2016.

1. Ravichandran Ashwin (RPSG):

The off-spinner’s presence will loom large on opposition batsmen throughout the competition. In the shortest format of the game, he comes up with a variety of tricks to flummox the batsmen. Well adept at bowling with the new ball, the Pune outfit and their skipper MS Dhoni will rely heavily on him throughout the tourney. Ashwin would have been gutted that he wasn’t given his full quota of overs in the World T20 semi-final loss to eventual champions West Indies. The IPL gives him a chance to prove that he is still the number one spinner in India. He has taken 188 wickets in 179 T20 matches.

2. Adam Zampa (RPSG):

The young Australian talent, Adam Zampa’s temperament while bowling was on display along with his skills in the recently concluded World T20. Sold to the new Pune team for his base price of 30 lakhs, Zampa is a perfect leg-spinner for the format. His ability to toss the ball without worrying about getting hit for runs gets him a lot of wickets. He plays for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League and his performances have been impressive. His 34 T20s have produced 33 wickets displaying good control.

3. Harbhajan Singh (MI):

The veteran off-spinner has been Mumbai Indians’ main weapon since many years now. He is the go to man for the skipper and has delivered several match-winning performances over the years. He has tremendous control over his craft and remains one of the top bowlers in the country. Harbhajan was a part of the World T20 squad, however, didn’t a game and will want to prove a thing or two. He has played 195 T20s and taken 181 wickets. A player of passion, with talent to match, he gives his all for the team’s cause.

4. Imran Tahir (DD):

The leg-spinner had a successful time with the Delhi outfit in 2015 and will once again be vital to thier chances along with another leggie Amit Mishra. Tahir has earned a reputation for being able to contain the middle periods of matches while also taking wickets, and his rise coincided with South Africa’s limited-overs consistency. Tahir is superb in the 20-over format and by April 2016 has risen to No.2 on the ICC bowler rankings. He had a brilliant World T20 and continues to be an integral part of South Africa’s white-ball ambitions. He has played 123 T20s and taken 145 wickets.

5. Amit Mishra (DD):

Amit Mishra has impressed in recent times in Test cricket with his classical, attacking leg-spin, relying mostly on flight and away turn while surprising batsmen with an odd googly. He had a successfully 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh, however, hasn’t played a T20I since then. He features regularly in the Indian Test side and has done exceedingly well. He played the ODI series as well against South Africa at home in 2015 and bowled well. Mishra will be eying a consistent run in the shorter formats hence this year’s IPL provides him with that perfect opportunity. He has played 153 T20s and taken 183 wickets.

6. Piyush Chawla (KKR):

Piyush Chawla had a splendid 2016 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for UP picking up 15 wickets at 13.86 in 9 matches. The leg-spinner bowled a brilliant spell in the final as well that his state team won. He has good control and variations but can do with a bigger stock leg-break to make the other aspects of his bowling more effective. Chawla has been out of the national side since 2012 and will be eyeing a comeback. He has been a regular feature in the Knight Riders’ squad and a consistent wicket-taker for them. The 27-year-old has played 167 T20s and taken 171 wickets.

7. Samuel Badree (RCB):

The number one ranked T20 bowler in the world proved his class for the World T20 champions, West Indies. He picked up 9 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 5.39. He was one of the strongest contenders for the Player of the Tournament award considering his consistent show for the Windies throughout the competition. The leg-spinner isn’t a big turner of the ball, however, is dead accurate that makes him a hit in T20 leagues around the world. Badree has picked up 136 wickets from 135 T20 matches. He will be playing for the Bangalore outfit, however, is currently undergoing a treatment for his injured shoulder.

8. Ravindra Jadeja (GL):

The left-arm spinner will get to play for this state franchise the Gujarat Lions. The local boy will get a massive support in Rajkot and will be looking forward to showcase his skills in front of home fans. Ravindra Jadeja is most effective when there is some purchase off the surface. He can be unplayable at times on turning tracks. He generally bows the flatter and faster trajectory to flummox the batsmen. Jadeja was an integral part of the now defunct CSK franchise and will look to make the same impact for his new team. He has played 166 T20s and taken 109 wickets.

9. Axar Patel (KXIP):

In early 2014, Patel was named the BCCI Under-19 cricketer of the year for the 2012-13 season. After an impressive season with Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2014- 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.22- Axar was rewarded with a place in the Indian ODI squad for the tour to Bangladesh. He has been in and out of the side, however, remains in contention for most of India’s limited-overs series. The Gujarat all-rounder had a remarkable Vijay Hazare Trophy 2015 taking 19 wickets and scoring 220. He has played 53 T20s and taken 54 wickets. The left-arm spinner has good control over his craft and is a genuine wicket-taker.

10. Karn Sharma (SRH):

The spin department of the Sun Risers Hyderabad will once again be headed by Karn Sharma, who has been one of the many leg spinners to have made a name for himself through the IPL. He made headlines after he bagged a contract of Rs 3.75 crores from SRH in the 2014 IPL auction. He has been around in the domestic circuit since 2007 representing Railways and has been fairly successful. For Sunrisers in 2013, he grabbed 11 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 6.60 and in 2014 took 15 wickets at 19.04. He managed just 10 wickets from 10 matches in 2015 and will want to bounce back in style this season. His 85 T20s have yielded 69 wickets.

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