IPL 2018: Kapil Dev speaks on the rise of leg-spinners in Indian Premier League

Kapil lauded the leggies and explained their importance for every team.

Kapil Dev | GETTY

The former India captain Kapil Dev has been impressed with the success of leg-spinners in Indian Premier League (IPL). He tried digging out the importance of leggie in a team.

"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," he said. 

R Ashwin, Kings XI Punjab skipper, who is a renowned off-spinner has mixed his deliveries with leg-spins during on-going IPL. "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. 

Leg-spinners have been very successful and even Indian cricket team has emphasized on it. 

IPL teams know the key to success with the ball. Talking about the success of leg-spinners, Kapil said, "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 leggie Karn Sharma was picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over experienced Harbhajan Singh against Rajasthan Royals. "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 the find of the IPL Mayank Markande of Mumbai Indians. He has troubled the likes of MS Dhoni in the tournament. "He (Markande) is good and if you are a good leg spinner, it always adds on to the team," Kapil said.

Talking about the pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kapil is happy he is more matured and sensible now.

"He (Bhuvneshwar) had been excellent in the last three years, why only this one (IPL), he is fabulous, more mature and sensible," said the former India pacer.

Asked whether the IPL is more of a batsman's game, Kapil said, "From 100 years, it's (cricket) a batsman's game, it's never been a bowler's game even though in the last 10 years (of the IPL), so many good things have come out from the bowlers - knuckle balls and slow bouncers.

"T20 is (not only) for batsmen (but) is there for everybody and you need to improve your skill."

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 21 Apr, 2018

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