It is often said that spinners form the backbone of any cricket team and the saying holds true even in case of the Twenty20 format where the batsman’s willow power is seen as the deciding factor often. Especially when spinners hunt in a pack, it becomes all the more encouraging sign for the teams. Of late the wrist spinners have seen a revival and all the major international and T20 teams feature them as batsmen find it extremely difficult to read this class of spin.

In the eleventh edition of the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> starting on April 7, a lot of eyes will be on the spinners playing for the eight participating teams as their combined efforts could differentiate the winner from the rest. Here we look at the spin bowling prowess of all the eight teams for IPL 2018:

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230738" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230738" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The side captained by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-virat-kohli-has-to-say-about-his-potential-biopic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> will look to win its first-ever IPL title (RCB have lost as many as three finals) and spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal, Murugan Ashwin, Moeen Ali and Pawan Negi will be important in that pursuit. Chahal, with 70 IPL wickets in his kitty, will spearhead RCB’s spin department and the fans will be hoping that the man delivers from the word go.

Negi, who has 30 wickets in this format, will be a handy support for Chahal. Negi did well in RCB’s disappointing campaign last year and his decent batting skill is an added advantage.

Murugan (8 wickets) and Washington Sundar (7 wickets) will be the supporting spinners while Englishman Ali, who is playing his first IPL, is expected to get a few games to prove his worth both with the bat and ball. Offies like Pavan Deshpande and Aniruddha Joshi will be expected to chip in to give the regular bowlers the odd breaks here and there.

Pros: Presence of spinner like Yuzvendra Chahal who is at the top of his game in international cricket at the moment. There are also a fair number of spinners in the squad to be used if any of the frontline bowlers get injured.

Cons: The spin bowling lineup seems to be dependent more on the likes of Chahal and Negi while the backup bowlers are more inexperienced.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Sunil-Narine.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230737" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Narine.jpg" alt="Sunil Narine" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230737" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Two-time champions KKR will not be playing under their champion skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/pant-productive-top-order-opines-gautam-gambhir/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gautam Gambhir </a>this time but they will nevertheless have Sunil Narine in their ranks. Narine, who is just 5 wickets away from his 100th scalp in the IPL, will be current captain Dinesh Karthik’s trump card along with the veteran Piyush Chawla who has more wickets than Narine in this format.

The third spinner in the squad – Kuldeep Yadav – is also another emerging name in international cricket as his performance won accolades recently in South Africa. The three KKR spinners share 239 wickets between them and that is something big enough to caution KKR’s opponents. Nitish Rana also bowls off-break though he is yet to take his maiden wicket in the IPL.

Pros: All three frontline spinners have the potential to win matches by themselves.

Cons: Not a lot of firepower in the reserve. An odd injury to any of these spinners can push KKR on the backfoot.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230735" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230735" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The 2016 champions have done a great job in this year’s auction by picking a strong bowling unit. SRH’s spin arsenal looks solid with Afghan <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rashid-khans-special-tweet-for-bollywood-actor-aamir-khan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> spearheading it along with the veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who has 43 wickets in his kitty. Yusuf Pathan, the experienced middle-order batsman who also migrated from KKR to SRH along with Shakib this year, is a handy off-break bowler in the middle overs. Besides, there are Mohammad Nabi, Bipul Sharma, Deepak Hooda and local teenage hero Mehdi Hasan who can prove to be crucial.

Pros: SRH have an exciting bunch of spinners in IPL 2018 who can make it difficult for any opponent on a given day. The spinners have 127 IPL wickets among them and some of their all-round abilities give their side an added edge.

Cons: The top spinners are foreigners and the four-foreigners rule would restrict the SRH management’s capacity to play their best hands.

King’s XI Punjab (KXIP):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230736" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg" alt="Ravichandran Ashwin" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230736" class="wp-caption-text">Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)</figcaption>

KXIP also have a strong reserve of spin bowlers spearheaded by skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ravichandran-ashwin-bowls-leg-spin-in-irani-trophy-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> and the left-hand spinners Axar Patel and Yuvraj Singh. The trio share 194 wickets between them with Ashwin, who missed the 2017 edition because of injury, having 100 of them.

The Kings also have in their ranks the 16-year-old promising Afghan offie Mujeeb Zadran who could make the IPL stage this year his own. Also, the likes of Pardeep Sahu (leg break googly) who has three IPL wickets and Mayank Dagar (slow left-arm orthodox) and Manzoor Dar (right-arm offbreak) could also prove their worth with the ball at key moments in the tournament.

And yes, not to forget the evergreen <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/stats-chris-gayles-record-100-against-uae-in-numbers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> who was picked by KXIP at the death hours. The man though is known for his blitzkrieg with the bat, also has 18 IPL wickets to his credit.

Pros: A lot to choose from. The skipper himself is a spinner and that makes the possibility of utilisation of the resources to be optimal.

Cons: Ashwin hasn’t been in great form in the last two editions that he played. Moreover, he would be under the burden of captaincy to deliver.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230733" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg" alt="Harbhajan Singh" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230733" class="wp-caption-text">Harbhajan Singh of India. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Once the most successful team in the IPL, the CSK will make a comeback this year after remaining suspended for two years. Led by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-keeps-ms-dhoni-occupied-in-his-time-away-from-cricket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a>, the CSK will be eager to win back the crown and their spinners could be a vital cog in the machine.

The CSK this year have taken an inclination towards spin bowling and the presence of names like Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja and South African Imran Tahir. New Zealander Michael Santner has been ruled out of the IPL and the team will have to rope in a replacement. The Turbanator has won the IPL title thrice with the Mumbai Indians while the skipper Dhoni has played in as many as seven finals.

This gives an idea of how much experience these two players have with them (along with the likes of Suresh Raina and Jadeja who were also party to the CSK’s glorious run in the past) and they can use it to guide the others in the squad to achieve the third title. Leggie Karn Sharma, who had a very good run in 2017 after drawing a blank in 2016, could also be handy for CSK as and when the need arises. Dhruv Shorey’s off-break would add to Dhoni’s options and not to mention veteran Raina’s off-breaks.

Pros: The combined tally of CSK’s spinners is 330 which says how much experience and skill that this team carries. Tahir though disappointed against India in the home series but he has been bowling well in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.

Cons: Harbhajan didn’t have a great run in 2016 and 2017 and age is certainly not on his side. It will also be interesting to see how the CSK management accommodates foreigners like Tahir and Santner.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Krunal-Pandya.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230734" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230734" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The defending champions have preferred fast bowling over spin this time. They have even released Harbhajan Singh, who had a long time association with them over the years. MI’s choice for spinners hasn’t been extraordinary in this edition and their spin department will be led by youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/krunal-pandya-ecstatic-return-mumbai-indians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Krunal Pandya</a> and Akila Dhananjaya.

Pandya had two great seasons in 2016 and 2017 both with the bat and ball and South Africa’s JP Duminy and the skipper Rohit Sharma would play supporting roles. It may be mentioned here that Sharma’s off-break had earned him a hat-trick for the Deccan Chargers in 2009. Though he bowls really seldom in the IPL now.

The other lesser-known spinners are leg-break googly bowler Rahul Chahar who made his IPL debut in 2017 and 19-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler Anukul Roy who made the headlines in this year’s U19 world cup and right-arm off-break bowler Tajinder Singh. The MI have chosen to go for a stronger pace attack this time and it will be interesting to see how Sharma uses his spinning resources while defending the title.

Pros: Krunal Pandya. The team will look up to him to produce performances like he did in 2016 and 2017.

Cons: A lineup of inexperienced spinners.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Amit-Mishra.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230731" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Amit-Mishra.jpg" alt="Amit Mishra" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230731" class="wp-caption-text">Amit Mishra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Although the focus is now on whether <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mohammed-shamis-wife-hasin-jahan-says-the-pacer-never-cared-about-his-daughter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a> will be able to play for DD, the side led by Gautam Gambhir could turn into a surprise spin package in the tournament. Spearheaded by Amit Mishra, the most successful spinner in IPL and the second-most successful bowler after Lasith Malinga who also has as many as three hat-tricks to his name, the Daredevils look a decent spin unit.

From Shahbaz Nadeem to Nepal’s Sandip Lamichhane to Glenn Maxwell and a number of other young but potent options, Gambhir has a lot to choose from during the tournament. DD are the only team that hasn&#8217;t made it to the finals despite having played each season of the IPL and who knows, buoyed by Gambhir and a decent bowling attack, they could surprise the rest this time. DD’s lineup of supporting spinners includes Abhishek Sharma (slow orthodox), Rahul Tewatia (leg break) and Jayant Yadav and Gurkeerat Singh (off-break). DD’s advantage also lies in the fact that a lot of these local youngsters are known to be good batters.

Pros: Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem make DD’s spin attack formidable. The supporting bowlers can also chip in at crucial times.

Cons: Apart from Mishra and Nadeem, the supporting bowlers still lack enough experience and could find it difficult to replace any of those two in case there is an injury.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230732" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg" alt="Gowtham Krishnappa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230732" class="wp-caption-text">Gowtham Krishnappa. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Led by dashing Australian captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rajasthan-royals-name-steve-smith-captain-team-ipl-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Smith</a>, former champions RR do not have any big name in their spin department and that could be a concern for their bowling. The likes of Gowtham Krishnappa (the most expensive uncapped player) and Shreyas Gopal have caught attention but will they be enough for the RR bowling side to prevail over their opponents?

D&#8217;Arcy Short and Zahir Khan are only specialist foreign spinners while Smith will have to try and test from among a number of options like Aryaman Birla, Ankit Sharma (the most successful among RR spinners with 12 scalps) and Mahipal Lomror (slow orthodox),  Jatin Saxena and Sudhesan Midhun (leg break). One won’t be surprised if Smith himself decides to bear a major responsibility of adding to his team’s strength in the spin department although he has picked no wicket in the tournament so far.

Pros: The existing names have a great opportunity to prove themselves since there is no big player to eclipse them.

Cons: The experience is very little to rock strong opponents.

It is often said that spinners form the backbone of any cricket team and the saying holds true even in case of the Twenty20 format where the batsman’s willow power is seen as the deciding factor often. Especially when spinners hunt in a pack, it becomes all the more encouraging sign for the teams. Of late the wrist spinners have seen a revival and all the major international and T20 teams feature them as batsmen find it extremely difficult to read this class of spin.
In the eleventh edition of the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> starting on April 7, a lot of eyes will be on the spinners playing for the eight participating teams as their combined efforts could differentiate the winner from the rest. Here we look at the spin bowling prowess of all the eight teams for IPL 2018:
<h3>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230738" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230738" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230738" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230738" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The side captained by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-virat-kohli-has-to-say-about-his-potential-biopic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> will look to win its first-ever IPL title (RCB have lost as many as three finals) and spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal, Murugan Ashwin, Moeen Ali and Pawan Negi will be important in that pursuit. Chahal, with 70 IPL wickets in his kitty, will spearhead RCB’s spin department and the fans will be hoping that the man delivers from the word go.
Negi, who has 30 wickets in this format, will be a handy support for Chahal. Negi did well in RCB’s disappointing campaign last year and his decent batting skill is an added advantage.
Murugan (8 wickets) and Washington Sundar (7 wickets) will be the supporting spinners while Englishman Ali, who is playing his first IPL, is expected to get a few games to prove his worth both with the bat and ball. Offies like Pavan Deshpande and Aniruddha Joshi will be expected to chip in to give the regular bowlers the odd breaks here and there.
Pros: Presence of spinner like Yuzvendra Chahal who is at the top of his game in international cricket at the moment. There are also a fair number of spinners in the squad to be used if any of the frontline bowlers get injured.
Cons: The spin bowling lineup seems to be dependent more on the likes of Chahal and Negi while the backup bowlers are more inexperienced.
<h3>Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230737" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230737" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Sunil-Narine.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230737" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Narine.jpg" alt="Sunil Narine" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230737" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Two-time champions KKR will not be playing under their champion skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/pant-productive-top-order-opines-gautam-gambhir/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gautam Gambhir </a>this time but they will nevertheless have Sunil Narine in their ranks. Narine, who is just 5 wickets away from his 100th scalp in the IPL, will be current captain Dinesh Karthik’s trump card along with the veteran Piyush Chawla who has more wickets than Narine in this format.
The third spinner in the squad – Kuldeep Yadav – is also another emerging name in international cricket as his performance won accolades recently in South Africa. The three KKR spinners share 239 wickets between them and that is something big enough to caution KKR’s opponents. Nitish Rana also bowls off-break though he is yet to take his maiden wicket in the IPL.
Pros: All three frontline spinners have the potential to win matches by themselves.
Cons: Not a lot of firepower in the reserve. An odd injury to any of these spinners can push KKR on the backfoot.
<h3>Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230735" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230735" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230735" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230735" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The 2016 champions have done a great job in this year’s auction by picking a strong bowling unit. SRH’s spin arsenal looks solid with Afghan <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rashid-khans-special-tweet-for-bollywood-actor-aamir-khan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> spearheading it along with the veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who has 43 wickets in his kitty. Yusuf Pathan, the experienced middle-order batsman who also migrated from KKR to SRH along with Shakib this year, is a handy off-break bowler in the middle overs. Besides, there are Mohammad Nabi, Bipul Sharma, Deepak Hooda and local teenage hero Mehdi Hasan who can prove to be crucial.
Pros: SRH have an exciting bunch of spinners in IPL 2018 who can make it difficult for any opponent on a given day. The spinners have 127 IPL wickets among them and some of their all-round abilities give their side an added edge.
Cons: The top spinners are foreigners and the four-foreigners rule would restrict the SRH management’s capacity to play their best hands.
<h3>King’s XI Punjab (KXIP):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230736" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230736" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230736" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg" alt="Ravichandran Ashwin" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230736" class="wp-caption-text">Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
KXIP also have a strong reserve of spin bowlers spearheaded by skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ravichandran-ashwin-bowls-leg-spin-in-irani-trophy-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> and the left-hand spinners Axar Patel and Yuvraj Singh. The trio share 194 wickets between them with Ashwin, who missed the 2017 edition because of injury, having 100 of them.
The Kings also have in their ranks the 16-year-old promising Afghan offie Mujeeb Zadran who could make the IPL stage this year his own. Also, the likes of Pardeep Sahu (leg break googly) who has three IPL wickets and Mayank Dagar (slow left-arm orthodox) and Manzoor Dar (right-arm offbreak) could also prove their worth with the ball at key moments in the tournament.
And yes, not to forget the evergreen <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/stats-chris-gayles-record-100-against-uae-in-numbers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> who was picked by KXIP at the death hours. The man though is known for his blitzkrieg with the bat, also has 18 IPL wickets to his credit.
Pros: A lot to choose from. The skipper himself is a spinner and that makes the possibility of utilisation of the resources to be optimal.
Cons: Ashwin hasn’t been in great form in the last two editions that he played. Moreover, he would be under the burden of captaincy to deliver.
<h3>Chennai Super Kings (CSK):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230733" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230733" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230733" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg" alt="Harbhajan Singh" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230733" class="wp-caption-text">Harbhajan Singh of India. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Once the most successful team in the IPL, the CSK will make a comeback this year after remaining suspended for two years. Led by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-keeps-ms-dhoni-occupied-in-his-time-away-from-cricket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a>, the CSK will be eager to win back the crown and their spinners could be a vital cog in the machine.
The CSK this year have taken an inclination towards spin bowling and the presence of names like Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja and South African Imran Tahir. New Zealander Michael Santner has been ruled out of the IPL and the team will have to rope in a replacement. The Turbanator has won the IPL title thrice with the Mumbai Indians while the skipper Dhoni has played in as many as seven finals.
This gives an idea of how much experience these two players have with them (along with the likes of Suresh Raina and Jadeja who were also party to the CSK’s glorious run in the past) and they can use it to guide the others in the squad to achieve the third title. Leggie Karn Sharma, who had a very good run in 2017 after drawing a blank in 2016, could also be handy for CSK as and when the need arises. Dhruv Shorey’s off-break would add to Dhoni’s options and not to mention veteran Raina’s off-breaks.
Pros: The combined tally of CSK’s spinners is 330 which says how much experience and skill that this team carries. Tahir though disappointed against India in the home series but he has been bowling well in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.
Cons: Harbhajan didn’t have a great run in 2016 and 2017 and age is certainly not on his side. It will also be interesting to see how the CSK management accommodates foreigners like Tahir and Santner.
<h3>Mumbai Indians (MI):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230734" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230734" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Krunal-Pandya.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230734" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230734" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The defending champions have preferred fast bowling over spin this time. They have even released Harbhajan Singh, who had a long time association with them over the years. MI’s choice for spinners hasn’t been extraordinary in this edition and their spin department will be led by youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/krunal-pandya-ecstatic-return-mumbai-indians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Krunal Pandya</a> and Akila Dhananjaya.
Pandya had two great seasons in 2016 and 2017 both with the bat and ball and South Africa’s JP Duminy and the skipper Rohit Sharma would play supporting roles. It may be mentioned here that Sharma’s off-break had earned him a hat-trick for the Deccan Chargers in 2009. Though he bowls really seldom in the IPL now.
The other lesser-known spinners are leg-break googly bowler Rahul Chahar who made his IPL debut in 2017 and 19-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler Anukul Roy who made the headlines in this year’s U19 world cup and right-arm off-break bowler Tajinder Singh. The MI have chosen to go for a stronger pace attack this time and it will be interesting to see how Sharma uses his spinning resources while defending the title.
Pros: Krunal Pandya. The team will look up to him to produce performances like he did in 2016 and 2017.
Cons: A lineup of inexperienced spinners.
<h3>Delhi Daredevils (DD):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230731" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230731" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Amit-Mishra.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230731" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Amit-Mishra.jpg" alt="Amit Mishra" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230731" class="wp-caption-text">Amit Mishra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Although the focus is now on whether <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mohammed-shamis-wife-hasin-jahan-says-the-pacer-never-cared-about-his-daughter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a> will be able to play for DD, the side led by Gautam Gambhir could turn into a surprise spin package in the tournament. Spearheaded by Amit Mishra, the most successful spinner in IPL and the second-most successful bowler after Lasith Malinga who also has as many as three hat-tricks to his name, the Daredevils look a decent spin unit.
From Shahbaz Nadeem to Nepal’s Sandip Lamichhane to Glenn Maxwell and a number of other young but potent options, Gambhir has a lot to choose from during the tournament. DD are the only team that hasn’t made it to the finals despite having played each season of the IPL and who knows, buoyed by Gambhir and a decent bowling attack, they could surprise the rest this time. DD’s lineup of supporting spinners includes Abhishek Sharma (slow orthodox), Rahul Tewatia (leg break) and Jayant Yadav and Gurkeerat Singh (off-break). DD’s advantage also lies in the fact that a lot of these local youngsters are known to be good batters.
Pros: Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem make DD’s spin attack formidable. The supporting bowlers can also chip in at crucial times.
Cons: Apart from Mishra and Nadeem, the supporting bowlers still lack enough experience and could find it difficult to replace any of those two in case there is an injury.
<h3>Rajasthan Royals (RR):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230732" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230732" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-230732" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg" alt="Gowtham Krishnappa" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230732" class="wp-caption-text">Gowtham Krishnappa. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Led by dashing Australian captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rajasthan-royals-name-steve-smith-captain-team-ipl-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Smith</a>, former champions RR do not have any big name in their spin department and that could be a concern for their bowling. The likes of Gowtham Krishnappa (the most expensive uncapped player) and Shreyas Gopal have caught attention but will they be enough for the RR bowling side to prevail over their opponents?
D’Arcy Short and Zahir Khan are only specialist foreign spinners while Smith will have to try and test from among a number of options like Aryaman Birla, Ankit Sharma (the most successful among RR spinners with 12 scalps) and Mahipal Lomror (slow orthodox),&nbsp; Jatin Saxena and Sudhesan Midhun (leg break). One won’t be surprised if Smith himself decides to bear a major responsibility of adding to his team’s strength in the spin department although he has picked no wicket in the tournament so far.
Pros: The existing names have a great opportunity to prove themselves since there is no big player to eclipse them.
Cons: The experience is very little to rock strong opponents.

It is often said that spinners form the backbone of any cricket team and the saying holds true even in case of the Twenty20 format where the batsman’s willow power is seen as the deciding factor often. Especially when spinners hunt in a pack, it becomes all the more encouraging sign for the teams. Of late the wrist spinners have seen a revival and all the major international and T20 teams feature them as batsmen find it extremely difficult to read this class of spin.
In the eleventh edition of the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/category/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> starting on April 7, a lot of eyes will be on the spinners playing for the eight participating teams as their combined efforts could differentiate the winner from the rest. Here we look at the spin bowling prowess of all the eight teams for IPL 2018:
<h3>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230738" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230738" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230738" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Yuzvendra-Chahal.jpg" alt="Yuzvendra Chahal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230738" class="wp-caption-text">Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The side captained by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-virat-kohli-has-to-say-about-his-potential-biopic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli</a> will look to win its first-ever IPL title (RCB have lost as many as three finals) and spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal, Murugan Ashwin, Moeen Ali and Pawan Negi will be important in that pursuit. Chahal, with 70 IPL wickets in his kitty, will spearhead RCB’s spin department and the fans will be hoping that the man delivers from the word go.
Negi, who has 30 wickets in this format, will be a handy support for Chahal. Negi did well in RCB’s disappointing campaign last year and his decent batting skill is an added advantage.
Murugan (8 wickets) and Washington Sundar (7 wickets) will be the supporting spinners while Englishman Ali, who is playing his first IPL, is expected to get a few games to prove his worth both with the bat and ball. Offies like Pavan Deshpande and Aniruddha Joshi will be expected to chip in to give the regular bowlers the odd breaks here and there.
Pros: Presence of spinner like Yuzvendra Chahal who is at the top of his game in international cricket at the moment. There are also a fair number of spinners in the squad to be used if any of the frontline bowlers get injured.
Cons: The spin bowling lineup seems to be dependent more on the likes of Chahal and Negi while the backup bowlers are more inexperienced.
<h3>Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230737" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230737" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Sunil-Narine.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230737" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Narine.jpg" alt="Sunil Narine" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230737" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Two-time champions KKR will not be playing under their champion skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/pant-productive-top-order-opines-gautam-gambhir/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gautam Gambhir </a>this time but they will nevertheless have Sunil Narine in their ranks. Narine, who is just 5 wickets away from his 100th scalp in the IPL, will be current captain Dinesh Karthik’s trump card along with the veteran Piyush Chawla who has more wickets than Narine in this format.
The third spinner in the squad – Kuldeep Yadav – is also another emerging name in international cricket as his performance won accolades recently in South Africa. The three KKR spinners share 239 wickets between them and that is something big enough to caution KKR’s opponents. Nitish Rana also bowls off-break though he is yet to take his maiden wicket in the IPL.
Pros: All three frontline spinners have the potential to win matches by themselves.
Cons: Not a lot of firepower in the reserve. An odd injury to any of these spinners can push KKR on the backfoot.
<h3>Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230735" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230735" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230735" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230735" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The 2016 champions have done a great job in this year’s auction by picking a strong bowling unit. SRH’s spin arsenal looks solid with Afghan <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rashid-khans-special-tweet-for-bollywood-actor-aamir-khan-on-his-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> spearheading it along with the veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who has 43 wickets in his kitty. Yusuf Pathan, the experienced middle-order batsman who also migrated from KKR to SRH along with Shakib this year, is a handy off-break bowler in the middle overs. Besides, there are Mohammad Nabi, Bipul Sharma, Deepak Hooda and local teenage hero Mehdi Hasan who can prove to be crucial.
Pros: SRH have an exciting bunch of spinners in IPL 2018 who can make it difficult for any opponent on a given day. The spinners have 127 IPL wickets among them and some of their all-round abilities give their side an added edge.
Cons: The top spinners are foreigners and the four-foreigners rule would restrict the SRH management’s capacity to play their best hands.
<h3>King’s XI Punjab (KXIP):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230736" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230736" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230736" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ravichandran-Aswin.jpg" alt="Ravichandran Ashwin" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230736" class="wp-caption-text">Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
KXIP also have a strong reserve of spin bowlers spearheaded by skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ravichandran-ashwin-bowls-leg-spin-in-irani-trophy-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> and the left-hand spinners Axar Patel and Yuvraj Singh. The trio share 194 wickets between them with Ashwin, who missed the 2017 edition because of injury, having 100 of them.
The Kings also have in their ranks the 16-year-old promising Afghan offie Mujeeb Zadran who could make the IPL stage this year his own. Also, the likes of Pardeep Sahu (leg break googly) who has three IPL wickets and Mayank Dagar (slow left-arm orthodox) and Manzoor Dar (right-arm offbreak) could also prove their worth with the ball at key moments in the tournament.
And yes, not to forget the evergreen <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/stats-chris-gayles-record-100-against-uae-in-numbers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Gayle</a> who was picked by KXIP at the death hours. The man though is known for his blitzkrieg with the bat, also has 18 IPL wickets to his credit.
Pros: A lot to choose from. The skipper himself is a spinner and that makes the possibility of utilisation of the resources to be optimal.
Cons: Ashwin hasn’t been in great form in the last two editions that he played. Moreover, he would be under the burden of captaincy to deliver.
<h3>Chennai Super Kings (CSK):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230733" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230733" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230733" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Harbhajan-Singh.jpg" alt="Harbhajan Singh" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230733" class="wp-caption-text">Harbhajan Singh of India. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Once the most successful team in the IPL, the CSK will make a comeback this year after remaining suspended for two years. Led by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/here-is-what-keeps-ms-dhoni-occupied-in-his-time-away-from-cricket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a>, the CSK will be eager to win back the crown and their spinners could be a vital cog in the machine.
The CSK this year have taken an inclination towards spin bowling and the presence of names like Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja and South African Imran Tahir. New Zealander Michael Santner has been ruled out of the IPL and the team will have to rope in a replacement. The Turbanator has won the IPL title thrice with the Mumbai Indians while the skipper Dhoni has played in as many as seven finals.
This gives an idea of how much experience these two players have with them (along with the likes of Suresh Raina and Jadeja who were also party to the CSK’s glorious run in the past) and they can use it to guide the others in the squad to achieve the third title. Leggie Karn Sharma, who had a very good run in 2017 after drawing a blank in 2016, could also be handy for CSK as and when the need arises. Dhruv Shorey’s off-break would add to Dhoni’s options and not to mention veteran Raina’s off-breaks.
Pros: The combined tally of CSK’s spinners is 330 which says how much experience and skill that this team carries. Tahir though disappointed against India in the home series but he has been bowling well in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.
Cons: Harbhajan didn’t have a great run in 2016 and 2017 and age is certainly not on his side. It will also be interesting to see how the CSK management accommodates foreigners like Tahir and Santner.
<h3>Mumbai Indians (MI):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230734" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230734" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Krunal-Pandya.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230734" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Krunal-Pandya.jpg" alt="Krunal Pandya" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230734" class="wp-caption-text">Krunal Pandya. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The defending champions have preferred fast bowling over spin this time. They have even released Harbhajan Singh, who had a long time association with them over the years. MI’s choice for spinners hasn’t been extraordinary in this edition and their spin department will be led by youngsters like <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/krunal-pandya-ecstatic-return-mumbai-indians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Krunal Pandya</a> and Akila Dhananjaya.
Pandya had two great seasons in 2016 and 2017 both with the bat and ball and South Africa’s JP Duminy and the skipper Rohit Sharma would play supporting roles. It may be mentioned here that Sharma’s off-break had earned him a hat-trick for the Deccan Chargers in 2009. Though he bowls really seldom in the IPL now.
The other lesser-known spinners are leg-break googly bowler Rahul Chahar who made his IPL debut in 2017 and 19-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler Anukul Roy who made the headlines in this year’s U19 world cup and right-arm off-break bowler Tajinder Singh. The MI have chosen to go for a stronger pace attack this time and it will be interesting to see how Sharma uses his spinning resources while defending the title.
Pros: Krunal Pandya. The team will look up to him to produce performances like he did in 2016 and 2017.
Cons: A lineup of inexperienced spinners.
<h3>Delhi Daredevils (DD):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230731" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230731" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Amit-Mishra.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230731" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Amit-Mishra.jpg" alt="Amit Mishra" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230731" class="wp-caption-text">Amit Mishra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Although the focus is now on whether <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mohammed-shamis-wife-hasin-jahan-says-the-pacer-never-cared-about-his-daughter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a> will be able to play for DD, the side led by Gautam Gambhir could turn into a surprise spin package in the tournament. Spearheaded by Amit Mishra, the most successful spinner in IPL and the second-most successful bowler after Lasith Malinga who also has as many as three hat-tricks to his name, the Daredevils look a decent spin unit.
From Shahbaz Nadeem to Nepal’s Sandip Lamichhane to Glenn Maxwell and a number of other young but potent options, Gambhir has a lot to choose from during the tournament. DD are the only team that hasn&#8217;t made it to the finals despite having played each season of the IPL and who knows, buoyed by Gambhir and a decent bowling attack, they could surprise the rest this time. DD’s lineup of supporting spinners includes Abhishek Sharma (slow orthodox), Rahul Tewatia (leg break) and Jayant Yadav and Gurkeerat Singh (off-break). DD’s advantage also lies in the fact that a lot of these local youngsters are known to be good batters.
Pros: Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem make DD’s spin attack formidable. The supporting bowlers can also chip in at crucial times.
Cons: Apart from Mishra and Nadeem, the supporting bowlers still lack enough experience and could find it difficult to replace any of those two in case there is an injury.
<h3>Rajasthan Royals (RR):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_230732" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-230732" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2018/03/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-230732" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gowtham-Krishnappa.jpg" alt="Gowtham Krishnappa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-230732" class="wp-caption-text">Gowtham Krishnappa. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Led by dashing Australian captain <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rajasthan-royals-name-steve-smith-captain-team-ipl-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Smith</a>, former champions RR do not have any big name in their spin department and that could be a concern for their bowling. The likes of Gowtham Krishnappa (the most expensive uncapped player) and Shreyas Gopal have caught attention but will they be enough for the RR bowling side to prevail over their opponents?
D&#8217;Arcy Short and Zahir Khan are only specialist foreign spinners while Smith will have to try and test from among a number of options like Aryaman Birla, Ankit Sharma (the most successful among RR spinners with 12 scalps) and Mahipal Lomror (slow orthodox),  Jatin Saxena and Sudhesan Midhun (leg break). One won’t be surprised if Smith himself decides to bear a major responsibility of adding to his team’s strength in the spin department although he has picked no wicket in the tournament so far.
Pros: The existing names have a great opportunity to prove themselves since there is no big player to eclipse them.
Cons: The experience is very little to rock strong opponents.

Here we look at the spin bowling prowess of all the eight teams for IPL 2018.

IPL 2018: Spinner the 8 teams are banking on

In the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting on April 7, a lot of eyes will be on the spinners playing for the eight participating