India appear to be missing a tight off-spinner in T20Is — which domestic bowlers could realistically fill that role in the national side?
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup has reached its climax, with New Zealand chasing their maiden title as they face two-time and defending champions India in the final at Ahmedabad on Sunday.
While Team India have stormed into the final, losing just one game along the way, they still have a few aspects to reflect upon heading into the future. One of the most notable concerns is the absence of a quality off-spinner in their ranks. Admittedly, this has been an issue that has lingered for quite some time now.
Most wickets by an India off-spinner in T20Is
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average |
| Ravi Ashwin | 65 | 72 | 23.22 |
| Washington Sundar | 56 | 51 | 23.80 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 28 | 25 | 25.32 |
| Yusuf Pathan | 17 | 13 | 33.69 |
| Suresh Raina | 27 | 13 | 34.00 |
If we look at the number of off-spinners who have represented India in the T20I format, the list is surprisingly short. In fact, the above five spinners are the only ones who have picked up 10 or more wickets in T20Is for India. There are also a few part-time off-break options like Rinku Singh, Deepak Hooda, Tilak Varma, and Riyan Parag, who have bowled sporadically for the national side.
Coming to the T20 World Cup 2026, India did have the services of Washington Sundar in the squad, but he featured in only two games and failed to pick up a wicket. The team instead persisted with leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has been off-colour in India’s last four matches (4/186).
This raises the question of whether India need to add more variety to their playing XI by consistently fielding an off-spinner who can also contribute with the bat. This World Cup has shown that off-spinners can be just as effective as wrist spinners in the T20 format.
While wrist spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Adil Rashid lead the wicket-taking charts among spinners (13 each), it is the trio of off-spinners – Usman Tariq (10), Maheesh Theekshana (11), and Will Jacks (9) – who also feature in the top five.
What is even more interesting is that India themselves have often been on the receiving end. Their batters, especially the left-handers, have come under constant pressure from opposition off-spinners.
For instance, Abhishek Sharma has struggled significantly against off-spin. In five innings against off-spinners, he has been dismissed three times while scoring just 23 runs. Similarly, Ishan Kishan has fallen to off-spin five times, while Tilak Varma has been kept relatively quiet, scoring 43 runs at a strike rate of 97 with two dismissals.
All of this underlines how effective an off-spinner can be against batters; both as a wicket-taking option and as a means to control the flow of runs.
The bowlers who troubled India the most in this tournament include Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Will Jacks, and Gerhard Erasmus. These are off-spinners who can also contribute with the bat, and India may need to invest in such utility players capable of controlling the run rate, picking up wickets, and ideally adding depth with the bat as well.
Read More: Does Washington Sundar justify his selection as India’s premier off-spinner?
Ideal Options for India to consider
Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar has been on the international scene for close to a decade, but has not sealed a permanent spot for himself in the playing XI. Since 2017, he has played only 60 games, picking 51 wickets and scoring 265 runs. This is partly due to his own failures and the fact that team management has not given him a consistent run. Even in this World Cup, Sundar has failed to deliver in the limited opportunities that came his way.
While he has not fully achieved his potential, he has shown glimpses of brilliance in Test cricket and in IPL (39 wickets in 66 games).
Tanush Kotian
Tanush Kotian is one of the best spin bowling all-rounders in the domestic scene. The off-spinner has picked 131 wickets and scored 2168 runs in the 44 first-class games he has played for the Mumbai and India A teams. In the T20 format, he has featured in just 36 games but has picked 33 scalps at a decent ER of 6.65, including a solitary IPL game for Rajasthan Royals in 2024.
This shows he can be really effective as an attacking wicket-taking option and someone who could also chip in with crucial runs down the order.
Saransh Jain
Much like Kotian, Madhya Pradesh’s Saransh Jain is a useful option to have in a T20 team. While he has played only 20 T20 games thus far, Saransh is a workhorse in the first-class circuit. As an all-rounder, the left-hand batter has scored 2148 runs with two centuries to go, along with his 181 wickets as an off-spinner. Yes, he has largely been overlooked by his state side in the T20 format, but India could tap his all-round potential.
India should therefore look to try out such players, especially considering that veterans like Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav have been conceding runs consistently in recent times. Going forward, the team need to explore talent beyond these two wrist spinners.
Ideally, India should look for someone who can also chip in with those crucial runs down the order, even if they occasionally get taken for runs with the ball. This is a role players like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have fulfilled consistently for India over the years.
Read More: Next gen spinners on India’s domestic scene
