The general Indian T20 League auction ideology is to buy gun overseas batsmen and pacers as spinners are available in plenty locally. Often, playing an overseas spinner in the team is seen as a wasted spot in the playing XI but that notion has changed over the last few years, with a few bowlers making an impact. Imran Tahir, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan come to our mind first, but outside the obvious, we have a few that are set to make a mark on the Indian T20 League this year. Here, we look at three not-so-regular overseas spinners to keep an eye on this season.
Adam Zampa - Bangalore
A late replacement in the Bangalore squad, Adam Zampa is believed to be in the team to fill up the numbers but the Aussie might be there for a reason. RCB felt that the change in venue meant they needed more attacking spinners and Zampa alongside Chahal appears to be a relishing prospect. The Australian has rocked the Indian T20 League previously, snaring 12 wickets in 5 matches in 2016. Zampa has been vocal about even bowling in the death and could be a real wicket-taker for Bangalore, especially on slower wickets.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman - Punjab
The Afghanistan spinner is almost a regular in the Punjab setup, but this could be a massive year for him given that the dynamics at the franchise has changed after Ravichandran Ashwin's departure. Mujeeb could be leading the spin attack and will be expected to take the new ball and chip in during the middle overs. The mystery spinner is a terrific bowler with the new ball and Punjab will want to bank on his most glaring trait. Mujeeb comes off the back of a good Caribbean Premier League season and will likely hit the ground running for Punjab. Mujeeb will help Punjab break the monotony of pace early on now that Ashwin won't be there to handle a few in the first six overs.
Mohammad Nabi - Hyderabad
The Hyderabad all-rounder is often in and out of the team despite his consistent showing with bat and ball owing to the restriction on a number of overseas slots. However, with Kane Williamson not leading the outfit this year, Nabi could get more chances in place of him. The Afghanistan all-rounder is a terrific finisher and restrictive spinner and will enjoy the slow surfaces on offer in UAE. He thrived on slow wickets in the Indian T20 League last year and will once again hope to do so this year when his chances get more regular. Nabi's role might be more pronounced with the bat as Hyderabad had issues in the middle-order last year. His finishing skills and six-hitting abilities could serve Hyderabad well in the UAE.
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Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam
