IPL 2018: Top 5 spin bowlers at this stage of the tournament

One can't stress enough the importance of spin bowlers in modern day cricket. Spinners are the backbone of any bowling attack and their significance extends to the T20 format of the game that is often ruled by the batsmen.

In case one is still skeptical about spinners dominating the T20 cricket, the ICC T20 Bowlers Rankings reveal that 8 out of the top 10 bowlers in T20 cricket are spin bowlers with various styles like off-break, orthodox and leg-break.

Over the years, we have seen spinners change the fate of several franchises in the IPL. From legends such as Anil Kumble and Shane Warne to young talents like Mayank Markande and Rashid Khan, spinners have perplexed batsmen with bowling variations and proven themselves to be the match-winners for their respective teams.

This year, the franchises have dolled out some big cheques for the spinners. Let us have a look at the top 5 spin bowlers at this stage of the tournament.

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#1 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

The young Afghan cricketer has performed very well.

The youngest player in this tournament has impressed experts and fans alike with his quality spin bowling. He was bought in the auctions by Kings XI Punjab for a handsome sum of 4 crores owing to his incredible performances against Bangladesh, Ireland and in 2017 U-17 Asia Cup.

The right-arm off-break bowler has got plenty of variations in his arsenal as he bowled googlies and even some leg spin to good effect in his debut IPL season. He has picked up 9 wickets in 8 matches played so far with a splendid economy rate of 6.87.

Rahman has bowled 73 dot balls so far and ranks 8th in the list of bowlers with the most dot balls in IPL 2018. The young lad has proven himself to be a promising cricketer and it will be interesting to see how future unfolds for the talented player from Afghanistan.

#2 Piyush Chawla

Chawla is an integral part of the KKR camp.

Chawla is one of the most under-rated spinners in this season. He is an experienced T20 player who thrives under pressure. The leg-break bowler can mix it up well with deceiving googlies and straighter deliveries to make batsmen struggle for runs.

Chawla has been a vital part of the KKR dugout for years. This season, he has provided his side with 8 crucial dismissals in 9 matches with an economy of 8. He has bowled 76 dot balls so far and stands 6th in the list of bowlers with the most dot balls.

#3 Sunil Narine

Narine is in great touch lately

Narine has enjoyed a great run so far in this season, both with the bat and the ball. He is often cited as the "Mystery Spinner" owing to the effective variations like carrom and knuckle balls in his trick-set to deceive the batsman at the crease.

Narine's inclusion in KKR squad has always been great for the franchise as he always provides break-throughs in crucial times with his unique ability to move the ball both ways. He played a key role in KKR's successful campaigns in 2012 and 2014.

In 2018, he has played 9 matches and dismissed 10 batsmen with an economy of 7.45. He has bowled 74 dot balls so far and is the 3rd most successful spinner by far this season.

#4 Rashid Khan

Rashid has done a great job for the SRH

Rashid Khan has been an icon for Afghanistan cricket in recent times. He made a name for himself for being hired by the SRH for a whopping sum of ₹9 crores. He has impressed experts and fans alike with his sharp bowling and confidence.

The no. 1 bowler in ICC T20 Bowler Rankings has been an integral part of the strong SRH bowling department. The leg-break bowler has put batsmen in trouble with his tough-to-decipher googlies and quickness variations. He has bowled very accurately maintaining a stump-to-stump line, not allowing batsmen any room to strike.

He has scalped 10 wickets in 8 matches with an economy rate of 7.25. Also, he stands 4th in the list of bowlers with most dot balls by bowling 78 of those.

#5 Mayank Markande

Markande has been sensational so far

The 20-year old spinner from Punjab has made a mark in this season with outstanding spells and wicket-taking abilities. He was bought by Mumbai Indians for his base price of ₹20 lakhs after his performances in the 2017-18 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay-Hazare Trophy. An inexpensive investment in Markande has paid great dividends to the Mumbai Indians.

The leg-break bowler has put on a spin clinic so far by adding 12 wickets to his name in 9 matches. He has consistently troubled batsmen with slower variations and accurate googlies. He has provided MI with crucial wickets in the nick of time.

Mayank has bowled 64 dot balls so far. His best performance against the SRH when he picked 4 wickets by conceding only 23 runs. He is currently the most successful spinner in the VIVO IPL 2018.