- May 4, 2025
If you’ve been watching IPL 2025 and asked yourself, “When did spinners take control over the death overs?” you’re not the only one. Spinners have been a surprise this season, and in a time when pace usually gets most of the attention, it’s the spinners who’ve been unobtrusively the stars of the show. Piyush Chawla, who is one of the senior leggies, recently had a chat with his cricket analyst friends and had some really interesting things to say about the success of spinners this time around. There are a ton of weather-related factors the spin success, as well as changes in the mindset on how fast bowlers approach these matches. There is way more going on behind these numbers than meets the eye. So, let’s break down why spinners have made this a season of deceit.
Spin’s New Golden Hour: The Final 10 Overs
In traditional cricket, spinners operated during the middle overs, building pressure, squeezing runs, and trying to sneak in a wicket or two. But this year? We are seeing them bowl and be effective in the final 10 overs of an innings. Piyush Chawla noted that more spinners bagged wickets in the last 10 overs this season alone than there were in the entire 2024 edition, and they had bowled the same number of overs! This isn’t by accident – it’s a change in the strategy.
With the recent rules allowing a change of the ball after 10 overs of the second innings, spin bowlers are no longer unsung heroes, bowling with a wet, dew-soaked ball. That means captains are trusting spin bowlers, even when they are in trouble. Remember MI’s faith in Karn Sharma to bowl in a difficult situation against Delhi? It is an exhilarating step that displays a growing trust in spin, not just as a containment option but as a match-winning option.
Hotter Pitches, Smarter Spin
Another underappreciated factor? The weather. Chawla tossed off in conversation that Delhi had fans (the electric kind) switched on as early as February. That’s not normal, and it signals the intensity of heat that is affecting the behavior of the pitch. Dryer, cracked surfaces will mean more grip for spinners, and no matter how much curators consider rolling or watering the wicket, heat will win in the end.
With pitches drying out quicker from one venue to the next, spinners now have a surface that exhibits fifth-day Test match characteristics multiplied by steroids. It’s not just about turns—it’s how much grip and variation you can obtain. This is allowing intelligent bowlers to manipulate air, drift, length, and, importantly, flight. Chawla also observed how spinners back off their lengths a little, since the modern batter usually does not come down the wicket. They wait for the ball to pitch full and launch it, yet if the ball doesn’t come out, they miscue everything else. So, we see wickets, and lots of them.
Why Fewer Spinners in Powerplay Isn’t a Bad Thing
It’s funny because while spinners are doing well in the middle and death overs, they have bowled less in the powerplay. As Chawla said, it’s not because of weakness, it’s good captaincy. Because of the impact player rule, teams have more fast-bowling options than ever before. Plus, if you are bowling to Indian openers who open with hits against spin, why would you?
Chawla offered an interesting point—if you’re good enough, you might consider bowling spin during the powerplay. The first couple of overs are fairly risk-free, and if you bowl tightly early, it gives you a good opportunity. It’s effectively just about having the right bowler, and the courage to back them during the powerplay.
For more, visit JeetBuzz News to read our quality Cricket Blog updates. Explore if you want to reminisce and enjoy all of your favourite cricket players and nostalgic match moments. To ensure that you never miss out, keep updated and join in the fun!
