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IPL 2021 wasn’t the best tournament for spinners. Small grounds, the dew factor and batsmen backing themselves to clear the boundaries with some intense power-hitting meant spinners found it tough to pick up wickets reguarly.
Only three spinners were part of the top 15 highest wicket-takers when IPL 2021 was stopped aburptly after 29 games of the league stage. However, that doesn’t mean all was lost for the slower bowlers. Those who were brave enough were duly rewarded, with the guile of several spinners helping their sides win crucial games in IPL 2021.
Below, we will attempt to rank the IPL 2021 franchises based on the proficiency of their spinners. The rankings have been finalised after considering several facets of the game, such as variety in the bowling attack, match-winning ability and outright performance in IPL 2021.
The fact that some teams played in spin-friendly conditions in Chennai, while others didn’t get a chance to do so, has been taken into account as well.
#8 RR
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) played their games in Mumbai and Delhi, which were the two grounds least conducive to spin in IPL 2021. While it certainly handicapped them, RR spinners Rahul Tewatia and Shreyas Gopal were disappointing even when you factor in the external conditions.
Shreyas Gopal played just two games in IPL 2021, going wicketless at an economy of 12.50. He failed to provide the attacking impetus leg-spinners are expected to do in today’s age, and couldn’t use favorable match-ups to his advantage.
Last year’s hero Rahul Tewatia had a tough IPL 2021, as he struggled with the ball. Despite bowling the fourth-most overs in the RR bowling line-up, Tewatia picked up just two scalps at an average of 97.50, the worst amongst IPL 2021 spinners with more than a wicket this season.
#7 RCB
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had a terrific first half of the season, but their spinners played a very minute role in that.
That is despite them playing a total of six games in Chennai and Ahmedabad, which were the two best venues for spin bowling in IPL 2021. Their below-par performance in conditions where spinners should have risen to the occasion is the reason behind their low place in the IPL 2021 spinner rankings.
Washington Sundar couldn’t replicate his powerplay mojo and was a shadow of the bowler he was a few months ago. Yuzvendra Chahal’s poor form continued, with the leggie picking up wickets in just three games this season as he went missing on most occasions.
The only notable performance from RCB was Shahbaz Ahmed’s stunning 3/7 in a game-changing performance against SRH. But apart from that, there wasn’t much to speak about RCB’s spin trio in IPL 2021.
#6 PBKS
A few more games in IPL 2021, and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) might have been higher up this list. Ravi Bishnoi made a roaring return to IPL 2021 after being ignored for the start of the tournament, while Harpreet Brar emerged from the shadows to announce his arrival on the big stage.
The duo, combined with the part-time prowess of Deepak Hooda, seemed to click in the last few IPL 2021 games as they spun a web around the batsmen in Ahmedabad. Brar’s dream debut against RCB is a story for the ages, while Bishnoi was at it from ball one as he picked up four wickets in four games.
Deepak Hooda played the part-timer bowler’s role to a tee, getting two wickets at an economy of 7.07 in 14 overs this season. The trio could have arguably performed even better if they kept their run going, but a short sample size works against them.
The PBKS spinners have been placed at seventh in the IPL 2021 spinner rankings.
#5 KKR
All the talk before IPL 2021 was about how the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have one of the best spin-bowling attacks in the league. Out of the group, everyone except Kuldeep Yadav got a run out in the middle and impressed with their bowling.
Varun Chakravarthy led from the front, with his mystery intact as he picked up seven wickets in seven games at a solid economy of 7.82. Sunil Narine came into the side in the last three games and put in an improved bowling effort, picking up three wickets.
Shakib Al Hasan was solid in Chennai, while Harbhajan Singh showed flashes of brilliance and was unlucky not to get a wicket in IPL 2021.
#4 SRH
Rashid Khan single-handedly carried the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowling attack in IPL 2021, picking up almost 1/3rd of their wickets this season. The Afghan leggie is a household name in the IPL, and once again led from the front.
While his ten scalps were mightily impressive, it was his miserly economy of 6.14 that was the standout. Rashid Khan was comfortably the most economical bowler of IPL 2021 who bowled more than 12 overs in the season. No spinner bettered his staggering 66 dot balls in IPL 2021. There were allegations that Rashid Khan can only do it in the middle overs, but the spinner silenced his critics with a solid performance while bowling in the powerplay against RR recently.
Although the other SRH spinners didn’t get much of a chance, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/29 in one game) and part-timer Abhishek Sharma (7.16 economy in three games) did well to support Rashid Khan in IPL 2021.
#3 MI
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have created history playing on the bouncy Wankhede tracks over the years, and had to adapt when they were scheduled to play five games in Chennai.
Although the team didn’t too well there, MI’s spinners certainly stepped up and made full use of the turning Chepauk wicket. Rahul Chahar picked up the most wickets in the middle overs in IPL 2021, and the leggie helped MI apply the choke that was the foundation of their two Chennai wins.
Chahar ended IPL 2021 as the best spinner on the block, finishing with 11 wickets and the best bowling strike rate amongst spinners who have bowled more than 15 overs this season.
Although MI’s spin bowling relied mostly on Rahul Chahar, he got admirable support from Jayant Yadav (7.45 economy) and Krunal Pandya (three wickets @ 7.52 economy). MI's supporting spinners kept things tight and offered variety in attack.
#2 CSK
Many thought it was doomsday for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after they were scheduled to play five games in Mumbai. Before the start of IPL 2021, several fans believed spinners wouldn’t have much of a role to play on a batting-friendly Wankhede wicket.
But MS Dhoni and his spin team proved everyone wrong once again. Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali combined to bowl 36 overs in IPL 2021, ending with figures of 11/235. Even Imran Tahir played a starring role in the one match he played in IPL 2021, rattling RCB with a 2/16.
CSK’s spinners consistently made an impact with the ball, and often outshone the pacers in matches where the quicks were expected to make a mark. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja kept things tight (both had an economy of under seven), while also providing MS Dhoni with vital breakthroughs whenever they came into the attack.
#1 DC
The Delhi Capitals (DC) spinners picked up 16 wickets in IPL 2021, the most of any team this season. Different players stepped up at different moments, and that makes them the most menacing spin bowling department of IPL 2021.
Amit Mishra turned back the clock, dominating the middle overs and bamboozling the batsmen. The veteran leggie picked up six wickets at an economy of 7.78, with his 4/24 against MI the best figures by a spinner in IPL 2021.
He got support from Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who kept things tight this season. Yadav performed the fifth bowler’s role efficiently, conceding at just a run a ball in IPL 2021 while giving DC vital breakthroughs.
Axar Patel became the first spinner in IPL history to bowl a Super Over and end up on the winning side, and the left-arm spinner would surely have built on his four wickets if IPL 2021 had continued.
Although Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t find much success, the off-spinner was right up there with his variations as he kept the batsmen in check in Mumbai.
The variety on offer, coupled with some match-winning performances by DC’s spinners, make them the top-ranked group in our IPL 2021 spinner rankings.
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