IPL 2021: 3 leg-spinners who can be match-winners in the UAE
Leg-spinners have become an attacking option in T20 cricket and over the last few years, every successful side in this format have the service of a wrist spinner - a bowler who has the ability to spin the ball both ways.
The trend has continued even in the IPL, where every team has a couple of wrist spinners in their squad. Over the years, teams that have been successful in the IPL have been well-served by leggies.
Now, as the action shifts to the UAE where the pitches are expected to offer assistance to spinners, a number of key leg spinners will have the opportunity to make an indelible impression on the tournament.
Here are the three leg-spinners that could emerge as the biggest match-winners in the IPL:
#1 Rashid Khan
When Rashid Khan made his IPL debut, Afghanistan were still two months away from becoming a full member cricketing nation. However, he made an immediate splash in the league and soon became one of the hottest tickets on display.
Rashid Khan started his IPL campaign with a bang, as he picked up 17 wickets in the debut season and then followed it up with 21 and 17 wickets respectively in 2018 and 2019.
The biggest talking point of this IPL career has been his economy rate that reads 6.23, which is astounding considering the format and the batsmen he is up against. In UAE, he will be one of the biggest match-winners for Sunrisers Hyderabad - a side that struggled in the first phase and will want to put their season back on track.
#2 Amit Mishra
There is no substitute for experience and Amit Mishra keeps vindicating it every season in the IPL. He has played 154 matches in the IPL and he keeps winning matches for his side season after season.
In the four matches he played in the first phase, Mishra picked up six wickets and played a key role in a couple of wins for Delhi Capitals. As far as entire IPL career is concerned, he has picked up 166 wickets at an average of 23.97 and with an economy rate of 7.35.
In UAE, he will have the conditions in his favor. Delhi Capitals will hope that their T20 behemoth keeps delivering to help them go all the way and clinch their maiden IPL title.
#3 Rahul Chahar
The young leg-spinner has made a real name for himself for the Mumbai Indians. He has overtaken Piyush Chawla to become the number 1 leggie in the side and has already played a significant role in a number of games in the IPL.
His performances have helped him find a spot in the Indian team and this should give him the confidence to take his game up by a few notches.
Chahar has already picked up 11 wickets in the first seven matches of IPL 2021 and when the league resumes, he will find more assistance from the surfaces in the UAE which will make him one of the key components of the Mumbai Indians unit.
Will he use this phase to stake a claim for India's T20 World Cup squad?