T20 Format or Twenty-Twenty cricket is one of the most entertaining formats for cricket lovers all around the world. The crowd wants to see fours and sixes, bowlers getting smashed, big run chases, etc. But today we will talk about the wrist-spinner.
This era is called the batsmen’s era. Because of the shortest format (T20 Cricket), the bowlers have very little to look for and the batsmen are dominating the game of cricket.
But, it’s not always the batsmen who came into the limelight. There is an old saying which is, “batsmen win you games, bowlers win you tournament”.
When a bowler bowled an outstanding spell, an impactful spell, it is a treat to watch.
Particularly, if we talk about the shorter format or rather limited-overs formats, it is the wrist spinners who are dominating the world cricket.
Wrist spinners have a big impact in the shorter formats, whether it is in the powerplay, in the middle overs or in the death overs.
Especially, in the middle overs. The most limited-over matches are won by the teams in the middle overs.
The wrist-spinner took wickets in the middle overs which made the difference for the team who is batting. If the team is having a good start, the wrist-spinner broke the partnership which hinders the team’s progress in the run chase or if the team batting first.
In today’s day and age, some of the wrist spinners even bowled in the death overs. The batsmen sometimes find it difficult to hit the wrist spinners because of their mystery.
And the captain sometimes hands over the ball to the wrist spinners in the first powerplay as an attacking option against the opposition batters.
Why wrist spinners are successful in the T20 format?
T20 format, whether it is international cricket or franchise or league cricket, every team wants the wrist spinners in the team. The wrist spinners are looked at as wicket-takers and are used as an attacking option against the batters who struggle against the spinners.
So, why wrist spinners are more effective as compared to finger spinners in shorter formats? We will try to look for some factors which make the wrist spinners more effective than the finger spinners.
Wrist spinners extract more spin than the finger spinner:
Generally, wrist spinners can extract more spin as compared to finger spinners. Finger spinner uses their fingers to spin the ball but wrist spinner is an even tougher art to master. Because the control on the wrist is important to spin the ball, otherwise the ball might not be pitched in the desired area and the result will be runs leaked by the bowlers.
The wrist spinners can spin the ball both ways and more than the finger spinner, which will be hard for the batsmen to judge.
The wrist-spinner doesn’t need the conducive pitch to turn the ball:
Fingers spinners sometimes need the conditions which are suited or conducive for them. It is not the case with wrist spinners. They don’t need the desired pitch to turn the ball. They can extract spin even on flat decks.
The wrist spinners can extract more bounce:
Because of more loops and revolutions, the wrist spinners can extract more bounce than the finger spinners. Sometimes, it is not the spin that troubles the batters but it’s the bounce, which makes the batsmen’s life difficult. Especially, the ball which comes over the eye line and took off the surface.
The wrist-spinner is hard to get away from:
Because of the mystery, the wrist-spinner is hard to hit. They have so many variations like googly, topspin, quicker one, etc, which makes the batsmen guess which way the ball will turn and at what pace.
They can extract more side spin as compared to the finger spinners:
The wrist spinners side to spin the ball more than the finger spinners. The batsmen, then go for a hit, finds it difficult to go through the line. This is one of the many reasons, which makes the wrist spinners more effective.
They are not easy to read with the hand:
If the batsmen have to play the wrist spin well, they have to read them with their hands. Watching the hand of the wrist spinners is a key to success.
If the batters read them off the wicket, it gives them lesser time to adjust and to play the shots. A wrist spinner can spin the ball both ways, so it is important for the batters to read them with their hand and to know where the ball might turn.
Who is the best spinner in IPL 2022?
There are many wrist spinners like Y Chahal, R Khan, and W Hasaranga, who are doing well in the tournament.
Every team has at least one wrist spinner in the playing XI. Some teams even have two. K Yadav is also looking good after the hot and cold last two years or so.
At present, Y Chahal and K Yadav are the two top wicket-takers in the IPL 2022 with 17 and 13 wickets respectively.
How can we forget the match-winning spell of Y Chahal against KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders), where they took a five-for. He took a hattrick and four wickets in his last over.
Also, K Yadav’s match-winning spell in his first game for DC (Delhi Capitals).
The irony is that both of the main spinners of India were not a part of ICC World T20 2021.
Wrist spinners in International Cricket
Even at the time of writing this article, there are as many as 7 spinners in the top 10 rankings in T20 Cricket. Of which, 6 of them are wrist spinners or mystery spinners.
The spinners include T Shamsi (No. 1), A Rashid (No. 2), A Zampa (No. 4), R Khan (No. 5), W Hasaranga (No. 6), Mujeeb ur Rehman (No. 8), N Ahmed (No. 9).
The example is in front of all of us, the rankings. The rankings showed the true picture of why wrist spinners are preferred over finger spinners in today’s time.
Comment your favorite wrist spinner and thank you for reading this article.
