IPL 2025: Spinners Shine As Conditions And Strategy Shift In Their Favour-OxBig News Network

According to ESPNcricinfo, spinners have claimed 220 wickets at an average of 30.02 after 50 matches, far better than IPL 2024, where they had managed just 154 wickets at an average close to 37 during the same stage.

Veteran spinner Piyush Chawla, who ranks third in the all-time IPL wicket-takers list with 192 wickets (behind Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar), attributed the improved effectiveness of spinners to India’s intense summer heat.

Bowlers prefer using a dry ball. And this year, the heat has been relentless—Delhi was already touching 45°C in February,” Chawla said during ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Even with watering and rolling, pitches dry out quickly, offering more grip to spinners.”

Skill Meets Smarts: Spinners Are Adapting
Beyond weather conditions, Chawla emphasized that spinners have evolved tactically. Many are shortening their lengths instead of bowling fuller, knowing that modern-day batters rarely use their feet to get to the pitch of the ball. This shift in length, combined with strategic variations in pace, has forced mistimed shots and rewarded patient bowling.

“Today’s batters often wait for the ball in their arc, and if they don’t find the boundary in a couple of overs, they take unnecessary risks. That’s when wickets fall,” he explained.

In particular, the middle overs have become a stronghold for spin this season. Spinners have accounted for 171 wickets during overs 7–15, a sharp jump from the 127 in the same phase last year. They’ve also bowled over 61% of the overs in that phase, reversing last year’s trend when pacers were more dominant.

Fast bowlers, by contrast, have picked up only 106 wickets in the middle overs this season, compared to 138 at the same point in 2024.

Pace Variation and Tactical Discipline
Chawla highlighted how pace adjustment plays a crucial role. Rather than bowling too fast and risking getting pulled or swept, spinners are now bowling in the 90 kph range to force batters onto the back foot, restricting them to singles and limiting big hits.

“Spinners are bowling smarter—not just slower, but with better control of length and speed,” he noted. “Only a few players like Shreyas Iyer, who have good reach, can consistently target those deliveries.”

Impact Player Rule and the Case for Spin in Powerplay
The Impact Player rule, which allows teams to swap a batter and a fast bowler, has limited opportunities for spinners early in the innings. Many captains hesitate to use spin in the powerplay, especially if Indian batters are opening, based on the belief they play spin well.

But Chawla believes that with the right skill and experience, spinners can be potent even in the powerplay, particularly in the first couple of overs.

“It’s not easy, but if you have the confidence and experience, those first few overs can be the best time to use a spinner,” he said.