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 10 bowlers with the most dot balls in IPL history.
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10. Amit Mishra – 1191 Dot Balls
Amit Mishra has been among the top wicket-takers in the IPL. He is also the only bowler to take three hat-tricks in IPL history.
The experienced leg spinner has outfoxed batters with his flighted deliveries and leg breaks. Mishra was in his prime in the initial seasons of the league, taking heaps of wickets.
Over the years, Mishra has bowled 1191 dot balls in 162 games while picking up 174 wickets.
9. Umesh Yadav – 1203 Dot Balls
Umesh Yadav has sent down 1203 dot balls in his IPL career. The right-arm fast bowler grabbed everyone’s attention with his quick pace.
He then showcased his ability in the IPL, making his debut for Delhi in 2010. Yadav can move the ball in and out while hitting above 135 kmph consistently.
Thus far, the Vidarbha bowler has represented four teams and took 144 wickets in 148 matches.
8. Yuzvendra Chahal – 1229 Dot Balls
Yuzvendra Chahal is the most successful bowler in IPL history, sitting at the top of the wicket chart.
The leg spinner has bagged 205 wickets in 160 matches while giving away 7.84 runs per over. On top of that, Chahal has delivered 1229 dot balls in the league.
What makes his achievement special is he bowled most of his overs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where batters find it easy to score runs. Despite that, the leggie put up a break on run scoring, which is evident from his numbers.
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7. Ravindra Jadeja – 1234 Dot Balls
One of the best all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja has kept batters calm with his accurate bowling. The elite left-arm spinner bowls wicket-to-wicket, not giving much room to batters to score runs.
This has resulted in him bowling 1234 dot deliveries in 211 innings. Jadeja also boasts 160 wickets at an economy of 7.62 while representing four teams.
6. Harbhajan Singh – 1268 Dot Balls
Harbhajan Singh delivered 1268 dot balls in his 163-match IPL career. The former off-spinner was a crucial member of Mumbai Indians (MI) for 10 seasons between 2008 and 2017.
He played a major role in Mumbai winning the league three times, especially in 2013, when he racked up 24 wickets. Harbhajan then moved to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), playing his last game in 2021.
Harbhajan got the better of batters with his varying length and pace while using his off-spin tricks. He took 150 wickets in 160 appearances at an economy rate of 7.07.
5. Jasprit Bumrah – 1269 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 1269 dots in 133 matches while adding 165 wickets at an economy rate of 6.48.
4. 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.
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3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 1566 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 1566 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 212 matches, taking 180 wickets at an economy rate of 7.12. The offie will be back in the yellow jersey in the 2025 edition.
2. Sunil Narine – 1631 Dot Balls
Sunil Narine has bowled the second-most dot balls in IPL history. The Caribbean spinner has sent down 1631 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 180 wickets in 175 innings at an economy rate of 6.73.
1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 1670 Dot Balls
Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds the record for delivering the most dot balls in IPL history. Thus far, the Indian seamer has delivered 1670 dot balls in 176 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 181 wickets in his career at an economy rate of 7.56. He will now represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 season.
