mid-day highlights India’s upcoming mystery spinners, who have taken inspiration from Varun Chakravarthy’s Champions Trophy heroics, and are grabbing everyone’s attention at this year’s Indian Premier League
Vignesh Puthur
Vignesh Puthur
Matches: 5
Wickets: 6
Best: 3-32
Econ: 9.08
The wrist-spinner, 24, made a dream debut for Mumbai Indians by claiming three wickets against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk.
The Kerala-based player entered the match with no prior exposure to competitive cricket but went on to dismiss CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Deepak Hooda for 3-32 in his four overs.
Though he hasn’t had many opportunities this season, he has shown plenty of potential, having picked six wickets in five IPL matches.
Digvesh Rathi
Matches: 9
Wickets: 9
Best: 2-30
Econ: 7.28
The unheralded Lucknow Super Giants leg-spinner has made a name for himself with consistent performances in the ongoing IPL.
The 25-year-old Delhi player came into the limelight with his unique notebook celebration after dismissing Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Priyansh Arya. The celebration resembles the act of writing in a notebook.
Rathi, who was fined 25 percent of his match fees for this, repeated the celebration after dismissing MI’s Naman Dhir, for which he had to pay a hefty fine of 50 percent. Despite being in the news for his celebratory act, Rathi’s his on-field performances have been impressive too.
Interestingly, Rathi, who idolises spinner Sunil Narine, persisted with his celebration after dismissing the West Indian by signing on the grass. Rathi has delivered crucial spells in the middle overs and possesses the ability of breaking crucial partnerships.
Suyash Sharma
Matches: 8
Wickets: 4
Best: 2-26
Econ: 8.29
Delhi leg-spinner Sharma made his first impression during the 2023 IPL season, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. He claimed 10 wickets in 11 games for the franchise, fine performance (3-30) on his IPL debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharma didn’t get too many opportunities in the 2024 season, featuring in just two games and conceding 51 runs at a poor economy rate of 12.75.
However, this year at RCB, he has become skipper Rajat Patidar’s go-to bowler in pressure situations. Although Sharma — known for his unorthodox bowling action — hasn’t picked up many wickets, just four scalps in eight matches, he has always looked dangerous and has a decent economy rate of 8.29. His control has helped the team make comebacks in crucial situations. RCB will hope his attacking approach continues to trouble batters in the upcoming games.
Zeeshan Ansari
Matches: 7
Wickets: 5
Best: 3-42
Econ: 9.62
Uttar Pradesh-based Ansari has become one of the most talked-about names after his sensational IPL debut for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ansari, 25, was part of India’s U-19 World Cup campaign in 2016, but managed just two wickets in as many matches.
However, the leg-spinner rose to fame nearly a decade later, thanks to his 3-42 against Delhi Capitals in Vizag last month. He claimed all three wickets in DC’s innings, including the prized scalps of Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk and in-form batter KL Rahul. Despite his effort, SRH though lost by seven wickets.
The leg-break googly bowler had gone wicketless (0-32 off four overs) in the only competitive T20 game he played before the IPL — for UP in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 against Uttarakhand in 2019. However, at the Uttar Pradesh T20 League last year, he topped the wicket charts (24 scalps) for champs Meerut Mavericks. That performance earned him an IPL contract worth Rs 40 lakh.
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