When it comes to cricket in India, no name is as big as IPL. Not because the Indian Premier League is among the most popular sporting events globally, but the fact that the tournament shelters impeccable talents leaves this very cricketing festival with a token of appreciation.
From blazing batting performances to stunning bowling spells, we witness a number of names climb up the staircase of fame every season. While you’ll find some of them who have already attained a lot in the international circuit, there are several new names up for grabs as well. That’s the beauty of this tournament.
Speaking of performances, we know cricket mainly revolves around three activities: batting, bowling, and fielding. But considering the structure of the shorter formats, the impact of spin bowling has always been significant. No surprise, IPL has seen brilliance in this department. With so many wrist magicians taking the field each year, picking one favorite can be challenging. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.
Assessing the different aspects of IPL spinners and their performances to date, the following write-up aims at offering an overview of the best spin bowler. So, let’s take a look at who deserves the tag of the best spinner in IPL history.
Table of Contents
10 Best Spinners in Indian Premier League’s History
T20 is a batsman’s game; in fact, it is to some extent but no doubt the imprints left by spin bowlers are noteworthy. Let’s take a look at the list of IPL’s 10 best spin bowlers. The table below dictates the impacting names whose variety has imposed serious challenges to even the most aggressive Indian spinners of all time.
|
Position |
Player | Matches | Overs | Wickets |
Economy |
|
1 |
Rashid Khan | 109* | 432 | 139 |
6.67 |
|
2 |
Sunil Narine | 162* | 624 | 163 |
7.98 |
|
3 |
Ravi Chandran Ashwin | 197* | 699 | 171 |
7.01 |
|
4 |
Harbhajan Singh | 163 | 559 | 150 |
7.08 |
|
5 |
Amit Mishra | 161* | 660 | 173 |
7.38 |
|
6 |
Yuzvendra Chahal | 145* | 528 | 187 |
7.67 |
|
7 |
Ravindra Jadeja | 226* | 591 | 152 |
7.60 |
|
8 |
Piyush Chawla | 181* | 661 | 179 |
7.91 |
|
9 |
Axar Patel | 136* | 472 | 112 |
7.24 |
|
10 |
Pragyan Ojha | 80 | 270 | 85 |
7.22 |
Rashid Khan
- Team: Int: Afghanistan, IPL: Gujarat Titans
Rashid Khan is undeniably the best spinner in IPL who, moreover, dominates the spin action of the whole modern-day cricket. Some consider him to hold the title of world best spin bowler.
Drafted to the Gujarat Titans squad in the year 2022 for INR 15 crore, the Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan bags significant numbers to back up his ability. With an economy rate of 6.67, Rashid Khan enjoys the crown of being the most economical bowler in the history of IPL. Not just that, more than 135 wickets in just 109 games reflects the lad’s proficiency to single-handedly turn the situation of the game in favor of his team. In the recently concluded IPL 2023 season, he took 27 wickets in 17 matches and helped Gujarat Titans reach the final.
A noteworthy, interesting thing about Rashid Khan is that besides being a regular front-line spin bowler, everyone worldwide enjoys watching him bat. The reason why people believe him to be one of the best spinners in cricket is his aggressive approach.
Sunil Narine
- Team: Int: WestIndies, IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders
The term “mystery spinner” has a separate fan base and for all good reasons. When we talk about mystery spinners, one name that pops up instantaneously is the Caribbean maestro, Sunil Narine. Having been an integral part of the Kolkata Knight Riders‘ squad for so many years, Narine has found a way to deliver every time his team was in need of some.
Facing Sunil Narine at his prime is a nightmare for any batsman. 163 wickets in 162 games at an economy of 7.98, explains the tale. Though he did not have a great outing in IPL 2023, he still remains a valuable asset to KKR for the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Alongside vanquishing the field with magical deliveries, Narine bags the ability to score some quick runs. In case you’ve been following IPL for quite some time, you know he has also taken the field as an opening batsman for KKR.
Ravi Chandran Ashwin
- Team India, IPL: Rajasthan Royals
Number three on our list of best spin bowlers is India’s carrom ball specialist Ravi Chandran Ashwin. Already on the verge of becoming the next Indian legend, Ashwin has a remarkable IPL career to talk about. Bagging an economy rate of just 6.94, Ashwin is the skipper’s popular choice whenever the need to restrict the opposition from scoring quick runs is urgent.
Apart from keeping it tight in the middle overs, Ravi Ashwin is a real partnership-breaker. The whopping 171 wickets and still counting explains how. The “Ashwin-In Zone” is always a threat, and if he gets in the mood to take responsibility with the bat, scenes can get really troubling for all the teams of opponents. In the recently concluded IPL 2023, though he played only 13 matches, he scalped 14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.51, which isn’t bad in T20s.
Harbhajan Singh
- Team India, IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders
The terminator, aka Harbhajan Singh, needs no introduction. He is listed among the world-class spin bowlers who are loaded with years of expertise. Sharing an enormous lot of 150 wickets in 163 matches, you already know how impactful he has been irrespective of the franchise he represented.
The common myth around spin bowling revolves around the runs the slow bowlers end up conceding. Take a look at Bhajju Pa’s economy rate of just around 7, where he bowled more than 550 overs. That’s genuinely appreciable, considering the aggressive nature of the shorter formats.
Amit Mishra
- Team India, IPL: Delhi Daredevils
The international cricket career might have a little less to talk about, but in IPL, Amit Mishra is a legend whose story bags more than enough shareable resources. The only player to have clinched three hat-tricks in IPL history, Mishra, with 166 dismissals, continues to find his name in the list of top 10 wicket-takers.
Alongside that, Mishara’s ability to dry up runs was really impeccable. An economy rate of just 7.38 in more than 650 overs that he bowled clarifies why. He is a good pick for LSG for 50 lakhs and has an important role to play in the IPL 2024 season.
Yuzivendra Chahal
- Team India, IPL: Rajasthan Royals
Ask anyone who is the best spinner in modern-day cricket; maximum answers will carry the name Yezevendra Chahal. Having helped Royal Challengers thrash opponents on many occasions, the 2022 auction planned a new home for Chahal, Rajasthan Royals. But the change in colors didn’t hurt the performance in any respect.
187 wickets in just 145 matches at an economy of under 7.67; Yuzi Chahal is definitely a perfect resource for the T20 formats. He stood at No.5 in the top bowlers’ list in the 2023 IPL by taking 21 wickets in 14 matches at a miserly economy rate of 8.17 considering he also bowls the slog overs. He is definitely one of the most anticipated spinners for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2024. Amidst fascinating performances with crucial wickets, Chahal is already on his way to securing the position of the highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
Ravindra Jadeja
- India National Cricket Team, IPL: Chennai Super Kings
Although we’re more concerned about spin bowlers here, the number 7 spot is attained by one of the most promising batting all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja. From mind-blowing catches to blistering batting performances, Jaddu’s contribution to the team needs no further justification.
Surprisingly, the tale doesn’t end here. Jadeja has been a force in Chennai Super Kings‘ bowling department for more than 10 years now. During that phase, he has been directly involved in more than 152 dismissals. In the 16 matches he played in the 2023 season, he notched up 20 wickets at an economy of 7.56 despite bowling in the powerplay regularly. He might end up being the skipper for the franchise once MS Dhoni retires after the IPL 2024 season.
Piyush Chawla
- India National Cricket Team, IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders
Piyush Chawla is another veteran who had a brilliant IPL career to reflect on. Having bowled 666 overs in his 181 matches, Chawla trapped more than 179 batters with his magical leg-spin capabilities.
Not just that, Piyush Chawla’s name is registered as the bowler who had the longest run for not bowling a “no-ball.” Ever since his debut, the first-ever no-ball he bowled came at his 386th over. In 2023 while playing for Mumbai Indians, Piyush accounted for 22 wickets in his 16 matches at an average of 8.11, which helped his team reach playoffs. Costing a minimum bid price of 50 lakh in IPL auction 2023, he was definitely worth compared to what he brought to the table. MI will be expecting the same from this veteran bowler who made a comeback to make his son proud.
Axar Patel
- Team: Int: India, IPL: Delhi Daredevils
Another upcoming Indian talent who has already booked a number of fans worldwide. Although their international career has yet to stabilize a bit, Axar Patel’s IPL career operates with no complaints.
In the 136 IPL matches he played, Axar got rid of more than 100 batters and too at an economy rate of 7.24, which earned him a comeback into the Indian team again. He has already registered his authority as one of the best spinner in IPL history. Over the years, his batting has also improved to a considerable level, and no doubt it enhances his worth significantly. Will have to see if his price skyrockets from his performances in 2023 for the IPL 2024 auction.
Pragyan Ojha
- Team: Int: India, IPL: Mumbai Indians
To conclude our list of top spinners in IPL, we’ve got Pragyan Ojha. The Indian left-arm orthodox made his IPL debut in 2008. He drew the curtain on his IPL career back in 2015 while playing for Mumbai Indians. Although a comparatively crisp one, Ojha didn’t leave any opportunity to impress cricket lovers during his game time. During his 80-match career, he bagged 85 wickets at a cheap economy of 7.22.
How We Rank the Best Spinner in the IPL?
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Hand-picking the best from a considerable lot of talented IPL spinners is never an easy task. As a good number of factors play a critical role in the final draft, ensuring that everything is well maintained within a neutral ground is always crucial. To help our readers decode the most appropriate answer to who is the best spinner, we’ve structured the list on the basis of the following criteria:
Minimum Number of Matches Played
The very first factor that we’ve considered for listing down the 10 best IPL spinners of all time is the minimum number of matches played. There are quite a number of players on any given Indian team who played just a couple of rounds and bagged some promising numbers. Comparing them with the ones who were involved in more than 100 encounters isn’t a fair deal. For that reason, we’ve set a minimum requirement of 80 matches and framed our list around that.
Number of Wickets Taken
Speaking of bowlers, the wicket tally is one of the most crucial stats that reflects the player’s contribution to the game. No surprise, the same played a pivotal role in helping us structure the list of the all-time best.
Promising Economy Rates
The importance that spin-bowling brings with it is no stranger to anyone. Undeniably, the overall significance shifts to a new level when the limited-overs game is considered. Not just because the bowlers can play in and give their team some wickets, but they also have the ability to restrict the opposition from scoring quick runs.
We made sure to closely monitor the respective economy rates and craft a list thereafter.
Conclusion
We’ve listed 10 best spinners in the IPL whose skill sets aren’t limited to the Indian Premier League, but everything about their capabilities lists them among the “world best spinner in cricket” of all time.
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FAQ
Who is the spinner King of IPL?
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) holds the record for the most economical bowler in IPL history, with an economy rate of 6.43. He also has 139 wickets in just 109 games, demonstrating the lad’s ability to turn the game’s situation in his team’s favor.
Who is the best all-rounder in IPL?
Ravindra Jadeja, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, and Moeen Ali have dominated the opponents in IPL with their bowling and batting abilities. There are many quality all-rounders who have registered their names as the best of IPL talents over the years. But the ones mentioned above are the best in business.
Who is the best bowler in IPL?
Sri Lanka’s fierce speedster Lasith Malinga deserves the title of best bowler in the history of IPL. With more than 100 wickets and several hat-tricks, Malinga has been a nightmare for the opposition throughout his career.
Who is the greatest spinner in cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan is the greatest spinner in history. He was the first wrist-spinning off-spinner in cricket history. He was a unique off-spinner who used his wrist to turn the ball sharply. Muralitharan is, without a doubt, the best spin bowler in cricket history, having taken over 1200 wickets.