04 May, 2025 | 01:21 PM
Spin has emerged as a dominant force in IPL 2025, outpacing last season’s performances both in terms of wickets taken and overall influence on the game. After 50 matches this season, spinners have claimed 220 wickets at an average of 30.02 — a stark improvement from IPL 2024, where they had only 154 wickets at an average of nearly 37 by the same stage. Their share of total wickets has risen from 27% to 39%.
What’s driving this shift? Former India spinner and IPL stalwart Piyush Chawla believes it’s largely down to a combination of environmental factors and evolving strategies among spinners.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show, Chawla highlighted the impact of unusually high temperatures across India. “This year has been hotter than usual. In Delhi, for example, we usually don’t even use fans in February, but this year it was touching 45°C early on. That kind of heat dries out pitches quickly,” he said. “No matter how much you roll or water the surface, it eventually dries up — and that’s where spinners thrive.”
Chawla also pointed out how spinners have adapted their tactics to counter the evolving T20 batting approach. “Spinners are pulling their lengths back rather than going full. Most batters today don’t use their feet much — they wait for the ball to be in the slot. When that doesn’t happen, they get impatient and go for risky shots, which leads to mistimed hits,” he explained.
This adjustment has proved especially effective in the middle overs, where spinners have dominated. According to ESPNcricinfo’s data analyst S Rajesh, spinners have already taken 171 wickets in the middle overs in IPL 2025, compared to 127 at the same point last season. They have also bowled over 61% of the overs in that phase, showcasing their growing importance.
Another key factor has been pace variation. Chawla emphasized the importance of bowling at speeds around 90 kph to deny batters room for power hitting off the back foot. “If they try to go back, they can only nudge it for singles. That’s playing a big role,” he noted.
Chawla also urged teams to consider using spinners more often in the powerplay, despite the general reluctance. “With the Impact Player rule allowing you to swap in a pacer later, teams can afford to experiment. But captains often hesitate, especially if there’s an Indian opener who’s good against spin. That fear of conceding too many keeps spinners out of the early overs,” he said.
Despite these limitations, Chawla believes the first or second over of a T20 innings can be among the easiest for a spinner if executed correctly.
Overall, IPL 2025 has showcased a renewed dominance of spin, with bowlers not only capitalizing on conducive conditions but also outthinking batters. With teams recalibrating strategies around spin and conditions continuing to favour them, spinners look set to play a defining role as the tournament progresses.
