Ranking the 5 best overseas spinners in IPL 2025 auction ft. Adam Zampa
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Among 208 overseas players shortlisted for the auction, many talented spinners are waiting to prove their worth.
Over the years, Rashid Khan has been the only overseas spinner who has lit up the tournament with his superlative performances. It is also due to franchises opting to prefer Indian spinners, which resulted in fewer opportunities for foreign tweakers.
However, the mega auction will feature a plethora of spinners who have done well in international cricket and impressed in their limited appearances in the IPL. On that note, let's rank the top five spinners who are likely to bag the most attention in the IPL 2025 auction.
#5 Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid is arguably the finest white-ball spinner to come out of England in this century. Since making his debut in 2009, he has bagged a total of 331 wickets in 262 white-ball games for England.
Although Rashid has featured in only three IPL games, he found success in franchise cricket during the 2015/16 edition of the Big Bash League. The leg-spinner scalped 16 wickets in nine games for Adelaide Strikers, and helped the side seal the semi-final spot.
Rashid is coming off a fine T20I series against West Indies, picking up four wickets in eight overs. Interestingly, he is the No. 1 T20I bowler at the moment. If the team wants an experienced spinner on their roster, Rashid is a must-have.
#4 Noor Ahmad
Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad emerged as the Player of the Tournament in the Caribbean Premier League 2024. While playing for St Lucia Kings, he scalped a total of 22 wickets at an impressive average of 13.22.
Ahmad represented the Gujarat Titans in the last two seasons and picked up a total of 24 wickets in 23 games at an economy of 8.03. In these two years, the left-arm spinner was sharp with his lengths and googlies to outfox the batters.
The 19-year-old could be a long-term prospect for any franchise. With his wicket-taking abilities, Noor Ahmad can be as good as Rashid Khan, if given consistent opportunities and confidence.
#3 Maheesh Theekshana
Although Maheesh Theekshana doesn't come across as a consistent wicket-taker, he surely is a lethal option for a captain to keep the batters quiet. His variations, like the carrom ball and wrong'un, often put batters in a fix, which helps him operate with an impressive economy in the shortest format.
In 178 T20Is, Theekshana has bagged 189 wickets at an economy of 6.69, with top figures of 4/15. In the last three IPL seasons with Chennai Super Kings, he picked up 25 wickets in 27 appearances.
Recently, the 24-year-old scored a match-winning 27* off 44 balls to help Sri Lanka seal a thrilling victory in an ODI fixture against New Zealand. With an ability to contribute with the bat in crunch situations, Theekshana can be a quality pick for the franchises.
#2 Wanindu Hasaranga
Ranked No. 2 in the T20I rankings, Wanindu Hasaranga has been a credible performer in the shortest format. In 200 T20s, Hasaranga has bagged 287 wickets at an economy of 6.90, with best figures of 6/9.
The right-arm spinner has been part of 26 IPL games for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and scalped 35 wickets. His best figures of 5/18 came against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022.
Moreover, Hasaranga has scored over 2,000 runs in T20s, and can be a boon to his side in the lower order. He won the Player of the Series award in the recent T20I series against New Zealand with six wickets in two games.
#1 Adam Zampa
Possibly the finest spinner part of the IPL 2025 auction, Adam Zampa is expected to gain significant attention from the franchises. The veteran leg spinner has picked up 343 wickets in 281 T20s at an economy of 7.40.
Zampa has also been part of three franchises in the IPL, taking 29 wickets in 20 appearances. In fact, his best T20 performance of 6/19 came in the 2016 season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Recently, Zampa took six wickets in three T20Is against Pakistan, as Australia went on to secure a 3-0 clean sweep. Given his form and track record, Zampa could rake in a good amount of money in the auction.