Leg-spinners have stolen thunder in IPL: Kapil Dev

Mumbai, April 21 

Wrist spinners have become the toast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) so much so that a successful off-spinner like Ravichandran Ashwin, too, has been keen on bowling leg breaks, feels cricket legend Kapil Dev.

“Everybody has a different bowling attack, depending on which pitch they are playing. But what we have come to know from the first or second IPL (till) now is that the most successful bowler to come out is the leg-spinner,” Kapil said on the sidelines of a live cricket comedy show here.

“Every team has their leg-spinner. Even a bowler like (Ravichandran) Ashwin, he likes to bowl more leg spin than off spin. That shows the leg-spinners are more successful than anybody else,” Kapil said to buttress his point.

Ashwin is leading Kings XI Punjab this IPL season, after having turned out for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants in the past editions.

In the current edition of the T20 league, leg-spinners have been largely successful with Mumbai Indians’ rookie Mayank Markande shining in the first three games for his franchise.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, too, have a good leg-spinner in Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, while his compatriot Mujeeb Ur Rahman, another wrist spinner, plays under Ashwin.

Even the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore possess a successful leggie in Yuzvendra Chahal.

Quizzed why leg spinners are more successful, Kapil quipped: “Can’t really put a reason, but that is a wicket-taking bowler. It is difficult and not easy (to read them) and every team loves to have a leg spinner.”

The 59-year-old former cricketer pointed out how a leggie like Karn Sharma had edged out experienced offie Harbhajan Singh for CSK versus Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.

“Karn is playing, not Harbhajan (Singh), so Chennai is playing with two leg-spinners (the other being Imran Tahir). So everybody is there with an extra leg-spinner.”

“I think that is where in spinners you don’t see so many off-spinners, you don’t see left-arm spinners so much, but you see leg spinners definitely,” Kapil added. 

He also praised Patiala spinner Markande, who had bamboozled CSK in the league opening game at the Wankhede Stadium.

“He (Markande) is good and if you are a good leg spinner, it always adds on to the team,” Kapil said. — PTI