T20 cricket has largely favoured batters, who have plundered runs with ease. So bowlers have to make tactical changes in their bowling to stem the run flow.
With limited resources in their hands, batters don’t want to waste even a single ball while scoring runs. And that’s why dot balls are pretty eminent in T20s.
Bowling a dot ball is like half the battle won, which can put batters under pressure to take more risk. And in a league like the IPL, where the stakes are high, delivering such balls gives bowlers a big relief.
Over the years, many bowlers have kept batters quiet with their astute bowling while delivering sizeable dot balls. On that note, here we’ll look at the top 5 bowlers with the most dot balls in IPL history.
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Top 5 Bowlers with Most Dot Balls
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Dot Balls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 189 | 196 | 7.68 | 1784 |
| Sunil Narine | 187 | 192 | 6.80 | 1694 |
| R Ashwin | 217 | 187 | 7.20 | 1623 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 145 | 183 | 7.25 | 1397 |
| Piyush Chawla | 191 | 192 | 7.96 | 1337 |
5. Piyush Chawla – 1337 Dot Balls
A veteran leg spinner, Piyush Chawla has showcased great control over the ball. He also has pretty effective leg spin variations up his sleeves.
The leg spinner has troubled batters with his googlies and stock deliveries. Chawla couldn’t build a good career for India, but he did have a great time in the IPL.
Chawla has delivered the fourth-most dot balls in IPL history, with 1337 dots in 191 innings while picking up 192 scalps at an economy rate of 7.96.
4. Jasprit Bumrah – 1397 Dot Balls
Jasprit Bumrah’s rise in world cricket is phenomenal. The right-arm pacer came to the IPL in 2013 and turned everyone’s heads around with his unorthodox slingy action.
Thanks to his exploits in the league, Bumrah soon entered the Indian team, emerging as one of the greatest fast bowlers from the country. Mumbai Indians scouts unearthed the rookie talent, who has been playing for them ever since.
Bumrah’s awkward release point makes it hard for batters to play him, helping him put a lid on run scoring. Thus far, he has fired down the fifth-most dot balls, with 1397 dots in 145 matches while adding 183 wickets at an economy rate of 7.25.
3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 1621 Dot Balls
One of the most successful off-spinners in the IPL, Ravichandran Ashwin, has bowled the third-most dot balls in the IPL, having sent down 1623 deliveries with no runs. The legendary Indian off-spinner came to the limelight in the league after making his debut for CSK in 2009.
Since then, Ashwin has turned up for five teams, with Rising Pune Supergiant, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals being the other teams. He has been brilliant with the ball in the league, stemming the run flow with his tactical variations.
Ashwin has played 217 innings, taking 187 wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.
2. Sunil Narine – 1641 Dot Balls
Sunil Narine has bowled the second-most dot balls in IPL history. The Caribbean spinner has sent down 1694 dot balls.
Narine has been an inseparable part of the KKR unit since making his debut in 2012. Batters often find it hard to navigate his mystery spin, resulting in fewer runs and more wickets.
Thus far, Narine has grabbed 192 wickets in 187 innings at an economy rate of 6.80.
1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 1784 Dot Balls
Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds the record for delivering the most dot balls in IPL history. Thus far, the Indian seamer has delivered 1784 dot balls in 189 innings.
Bhuvi started playing in the IPL in 2011 with Pune Warriors before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2014. Since then, he has shown his incredible control over the ball, often putting a break on the run flow of the batting sides.
Bhuvi has picked up 196 wickets in his career at an economy rate of 7.68. He will now represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 season.
