Dubai: Spinners will once again be the focus in the Indian Premier League, which begins on Friday. The dry-weary pitches are a tailor-made recipe for the spinners. However, the success is not guaranteed against the powerhitters, who go all out on the offensive. Former Indian spinners feel ability to turn the ball is the key to success for a spinner in the Twenty20 formats.

“Modern day game has a lot of attacking batters and if you have lot of variations and you are accurate with that, then you have lot of chances of getting a wicket, because the batters are always looking to attack. That’s their approach even in the nets, as they are not looking to defend,” former Indian leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan told Gulf News.

“My first approach would be to show the batter that I could turn the ball big. Once I establish that, then the batter will be stuck at the crease, because he is afraid of getting stumped. So my initial impression on the batter is to create a little bit of panic by turning my leg-breaks big and then look at the reaction and see how much I get from the pitch and then bring my variation.”

Using variations judiciously

Sivaramakrishnan created waves during his debut series against England in the 1980s, claiming three six-wicket hauls in three innings to guide India to victory. India’s legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar famously practised against Sivaramakrishnan, who bowled to him at the rough patch outside the leg-stump, to prepare to counter Australian great Shane Warne during the 1998 Test series in India.

Today the spinners bowl more variations, irrespective of the situation. LS, as he is commonly known, also had several variations under his repertoire, but he feels one should use the variations judiciously.

“If a batter is struggling against one particular delivery, then bowl more of those. Therein lies your chance of getting a wicket, but if you beat a batter with leg-break and then you try a googly, you are giving him a chance to hit with the spin. I would suggest to every bowler, fast bowler or a spinner, remember every delivery you bowl and bowl more of the deliveries that trouble the batters,” he added.

Spin the ball rather than roll the arm over

Former Indian all-rounders Woorkeri Raman and Sridharan Sriram both subscribe to the same view.

“A spinner needs to be encouraged to become a spinner, what I meant is that he should be encouraged to spin the ball rather than roll his arm over. Unfortunately, the modern day boys are drafted into the T20 format early in life. And the objective being able to win the matches, these boys are forced to play to a situation, rather than develop their skills. So, instead, if these spinners are allowed to develop their skills to spin the ball more, then you will have no problems at all, whichever format you play. The classic example is the success of all the leg-spinners, generally in T20 formats,” Raman, who has a world record of getting a wicket in his first over in Test, felt.

Raman, the former Indian women’s team coach, also feels that playing the three formats takes its toll on the body. “It becomes very difficult to become part of all the three formats, few in the world have done successfully enough, that of playing all three formats over a period of time and sustain their form and fitness. The three formats and the quantum of cricket that’s played is a disadvantage the current players face,” he added.

Star spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin, Rashid Khan, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal will be in focus along with the likes Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar and so on in the IPL 2023.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Sriram, who had been the Assistant coach of Australia and the Technical Consultant of Bangladesh, also felt spinning the ball is paramount, be it a finger spinner or a wrist spinner.

No secret to success

“Batters being aggressive is good as it gives the spinners lot more opportunities to take wickets. The ability to spin the ball and control the 5 to 6.5-foot length, give him the upper hand. Ravichandran Ashwin and Rashid Khan do it regularly. If you want to be the best, then you have got a template to follow. There is no secret to success, it is plain hard work. All the best players have done that. You have to own that area and if you can spin it both ways from that area, you are the king,” he added.

Sivaramakrishnan, however, has a word of advice to young aspiring spinners. “Develop the consistency and the ability to turn the ball. Have your variations and control over you line and length with all the deliveries you bowl. Practice seven-over spells in the nets and dream of playing Test cricket, don’t dream playing T20, it is entertainment. Test is the real cricket,” he concluded.