IPL: Top 10 bowlers with most Dot Balls in IPL History

Bowling in T20 cricket is a difficult art, and when it comes to bowling a dot ball, it is more or less considered a huge feat. Indian Premier League (IPL) has produced bowlers who have stamped their class on the batters with their guile and skills. At a time when batters are ruling the roost in the league, bowlers with good economy rates have a greater say during the course of a game. 

In a tournament like the IPL, it is imperative for bowlers to have the ability to restrain batters from scoring runs. Most dot balls bowled, especially during the crucial junctures of the game, have a huge bearing on the batting side. In many cases, the lack of run scoring adds more pressure on the batters, which can see the asking rate climb up. 

As far as the bowler’s record in the IPL is concerned, bowling a dot ball is seen as a huge feather in the cap. Putting breaks on scoring also reflects well in the IPL bowling records, showing the effectiveness a bowler brings to the table. In the last few years, many bowlers have emerged who have used their skills to dent the scoring rates with dot balls in a game. 

Bowlers with most Dot Balls in IPL history

One of the best bowlers in the league, Amit Mishra, sits tenth in the table with 1191 dot balls from 162 matches in the league. The former IPL winner has also got the maximum hat-tricks in the league, having achieved the feat three times. Surprisingly, fellow spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is 8th in the table with 1229 dot balls. Chahal is the first man to breach the 200-wicket mark in the history of the league. 

Forgotten Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumaris at the top of the pile as far as dot balls bowled are concerned. The 34-year-old will be seen playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the coming season. Till now, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 1670 dot balls to see his IPL bowling record be considered as one of the best. 

Recently retired legendary bowler R. Ashwin is third in the list with 1566 dot balls from 212 matches. The 38-year-old has picked 180 wickets so far and has used his variations to outwit the best batters in the league. Current IPL winner Sunil Narine has one of the best IPL bowling records, and his 1605 dot balls show what a wily customer he is with the ball. 

Also read : Top 5 Batsmen with most runs against CSK in IPL

Key analysis

One of the biggest takeaways as far as the bowlers with most dot balls in IPL go, it is seen that spinners hold the sway. Only 3 pacers make the top ten list, with table-topper Bhuvneshwar Kumar being joined by Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav. The other 7 bowlers are all spinners, with just Sunil Narine being the one overseas presence in the list. 

Chepauk Stadium in Chennai is one of the centres where a lot of dot balls have been bowled. MS Dhoni, during his time as the CSK skipper, has used spin effectively. In the last few seasons, bowlers like Dwayne Bravo and Matheesha Pathirana have used dot balls to good effect to put pressure on the batters. The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow is another centre where a lot of dot balls have been bowled considering the slow nature of the wicket, especially during the 2nd half of the season. 

FAQs 

Who has bowled the most dot balls in IPL history?

Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds the record for the most dot balls in IPL history. The 34-year-old has delivered 1670 dot balls from 176 matches, along with 14 maiden overs. Kumar is one of the few bowlers in the league, along with Trent Boult, to pick wickets in the first over of the game at regular intervals. 

Why are dot balls crucial in IPL games?

The usage of Dot Ball puts brakes on the scoring during a T20 match. In a league like the IPL where runs are scored with ease, bowling a dot ball can put pressure on the batters. Bowling a dot ball during a tense run-chase can also have an effect on the scoring rate and be used to build pressure on the opposing batters. 

Who has the best economy rate in IPL history?

Former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has the best economy rate in IPL history. The former Kiwi spinner has 27 wickets at an economy rate of 6.56 runs per over. Former India skipper Anil Kumble is second with 6.58 runs per over, while Suni Narine has the best economy rate in the modern era. KKR superstar has picked 177 wickets with an economy rate of 6.73 runs per over.