Leg spinners are a wicket-taking option: Piyush Chawla

NEW DELHI: After Mumbai Indians registered their first win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, MI's Piyush Chawla said that a leg-spinner has wicket-taking ability and can play a crucial role during the powerplay. Mumbai defeated Delhi by 6 wickets in a close match.

Chasing 173, Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma's batting steered the innings for Mumbai Indians but three quick wickets took the game to the last ball.

Mumbai's bowlers Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff and Riley Meredith bowled out Delhi in 19.4 overs. Piyush said he is not playing much cricket and puts his 100 percent into the game.

"Indeed, I am not playing much cricket, like domestic and competitive cricket, but I make sure whatever games I can play, I just put more than 100 per cent...I make sure I am bowling with my full potential and what I can do for the team," the leg spinner said during a press conference, according to MI website.

In this year's IPL, a new rule has been added where at any point of the game a team can introduce an impact player who will substitute one player from the side.

Piyush said that this rule makes the game even more interesting. "The impact player rule makes the game more interesting because now if you see all the batting teams, they bat till number 8-9. It makes a difference as a team...I feel even 210-220 is chaseable," Piyush added

Piyush feels every bowler gets hit in the T-20 format and a leg spinner can be a good option in the powerplay as they have the wicket-taking ability.

"See, in the last few years of how T20 cricket was played, 160-170 used to be a good score. But today, it is not the same anymore unless there is some help form the wicket, then 170 is a good score, otherwise, 190 or something.

"So, in short, every bowler is getting hit. But leg spinners are wicket-taking option for a team, as you can use them anytime in the game. I have seen that most teams don't use leg spinners in the powerplay, but I have bowled so many times. In such a format, you need to take wickets frequently. We have seen matches with a run rate of 14 and 15 runs per over chased, so the wicket-taking ability of a leg spinner is as crucial as that of any bowler who must take wickets."

He lauded skipper Rohit Sharma's batting. "The way Rohit batted alongside Ishan and gave us a great start by taking on the new ball was significant for us. Scoring 70 runs in six overs is a great start, and that set the momentum for the chase. Even after the great start, the chase went to the last ball, so you can understand that pitch was not that easy to play."