Data Shorts: Wadhera bolsters PBKS' enviable spin-hitting prowess

While mystery spinners remain the focal points at the IPL auctions and team-meetings, spin-hitters have been the certified game changers ever since the tournament returned to India in 2022. The engine room of SRH's batting in their runners-up finish last year demolished spin: Abhishek Sharma (SR: 235.36), Heinrich Klaasen (182.11), Nitish Kumar Reddy (180.45) and Travis Head (164.51), as did Rajat Patidar (197.24) in RCB's tremendous turnaround. Shivam Dube was CSK's designated spin-hitter in their title win in 2023, striking at 176.47, while Ruturaj Gaikwad went at 162.25. GT, meanwhile, deprived other teams to do so in their first two campaigns, leading the spin-bowling averages (23.23) at an impressive economy of 7.66, as did KKR in 2024.

On Saturday, even as the Punjab Kings were 43/4 in the seventh over of their 206-run chase against the Rajasthan Royals, they seemingly remained in the hunt, thanks to some fine strokeplay by Nehal Wadhera. The left-hander scored 53 off 30 against spin in his 41-ball 62, taking on the experienced internationals Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, scoring 44 off 26 against the duo. Wadhera, in fact, has great numbers against spin in the IPL, the sweeps (conventional and slog) being his productive shots.

Nehal Wadhera in the IPL

Wadhera attempted four slog sweeps during his stay, two went over the ropes, while the last - a well-timed one - was caught brilliantly by Dhurv Jurel. In addition, he played one reverse-sweep, which got him a boundary. Overall, he has a sweep-shot percentage of 17.9% in the IPL against spin (roughly once every six balls), and the 28 of them attempted have fetched him 73 runs with two dismissals.

A further measure of how crucial spin-hitters have been in the IPL: only three teams had a double of 35-plus average and 145-plus strike-rate against spin in 2024 - SRH (38.57 & 161.43), RCB (50.14 & 151.51) and KKR (38.06 & 145.34) and all three made it to the playoffs. Among the current IPL squads, PBKS batters have a combined strike-rate of 145.47 against spin in the IPL since 2022, only bettered by SRH (154.67).

Their skipper Shreyas Iyer is arguably one of the finest against the slower bowlers, while Glenn Maxwell's strike-rate of 162.73 is the best among the 54 batters who have faced at least 500 balls of spin in IPL history. Marcus Stoinis scripted the highest ever run-chase at Chepauk last year, while Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh too have been striking at 150-plus against spin since 2023.

Batting vs spin in the IPL since 2022 (grouped by IPL 2025 squads)

With the skill-set against spin and a line-up that has Marco Jansen listed at No. 9, PBKS can back themselves to recover from an early collapse, as they did on Saturday, and could have got it even close if not for the quick double strikes. Only twice has a team chased down a 200-plus total after being three down for less than 30 in IPL history. The protagonist in the recent one was Ashutosh Sharma, striking it clean against Ravi Bishnoi and Shahbaz Ahmed as wickets fell at the other end. PBKS tried hard getting Ashutosh back at the auctions following his heroics last year, but were outbid by DC. Wadhera, with his last two knocks and being the odd one out in a middle-order loaded with right-handers, is certainly proving to be a handy replacement.