Bowlers With the Most Opening Batsmen Dismissals in IPL History

Bowlers to Dismiss Most Opening Batsmen in IPL: Getting the wicket of the opening batsmen is crucial in any type of cricket game. In a tournament like the IPL, where the openers use the powerplay overs extensively, it’s important for the opposing bowlers to prevent them from doing so.

Notably, 5 bowlers who have dismissed opening batsmen multiple times in the IPL have proven to be crucial in this regard. Interestingly, one of the few batsmen who consistently withstands such challenges is a key factor for their team.

It’s important to note that opening batsmen have the most time to settle before trying to score big runs. In IPL history, openers have scored more than 75% of the total centuries. Additionally, 11 out of 14 times, specialized openers have won the Orange Caps in the tournament.

Bowlers With the Most Opening Batsmen Dismissals in IPL History

So, without a doubt, the main task for the bowlers of the opposing team is to dismiss the openers, especially those who bowl in the powerplay overs.

BOWLERS	DISMISSING OPENING BATSMEN	INNINGS BOWLED
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	69	175
Ravichandran Ashwin	67	161
Harbhajan Singh	61	130
Yuzvendra Chahal	58	126
Piyush Chawla	58	138
Sandeep Sharma	56	123
Amit Mishra	52	113
Zaheer Khan	51	99
Umesh Yadav	50	129
Sunil Narine	50	147

#2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 69

Indian swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has successfully dismissed opening batsmen 69 times in his 175 IPL innings. In the Indian Premier League, Bhuvi is often entrusted with the new ball and has effectively utilized the swinging conditions to claim crucial wickets. In the IPL 2021, he has particularly troubled opening batsmen like Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel, dismissing each of them 6 times.

Notably, Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the list of bowlers with the most powerplay wickets in IPL history.

Some noteworthy dismissals by Bhuvneshwar Kumar include:

• Dismissed Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma 6 times
• Dismissed Ajinkya Rahane 6 times
• Dismissed Parthiv Patel 6 times as well

#2. Ravichandran Ashwin – 67

Ravichandran Ashwin secures the first spot on this list with 67 dismissals of opening batsmen in 161 IPL innings. The skill ful spinner has shown a knack for troubling left-handed openers in the IPL, consistently getting batsmen like David Warner, Chris Gayle, and Parthiv Patel out. Additionally, he has dismissed right-handed batsmen like Robin Uthappa 7 times in 15 innings.

Some notable dismissals by Ashwin include:

• During IPL 2021 match, dismissed left-hander David Warner 3 times
• In IPL 2016, he secured leftie Chris Gayle’s wicket 5 times
• Dismissed Parthiv Patel 4 times

#3. Harbhajan Singh – 61

Harbhajan Singh has the 3rd number in list of dismissals against opening batsmen in IPL , with 61 in 130 innings. The former Indian off-spinner was frequently utilized during the powerplay overs by teams like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. His distinctive off-spin style caused trouble for opening batsmen attempting aggressive shots early in the innings.

Some notable dismissals by Harbhajan Singh against opening batsmen include sending Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma back to the dressing room 7 times, securing the wicket of Gautam Gambhir 6 times, and dismissing left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan thrice.

#4. Yuzvendra Chahal – 58

Yuzvendra Chahal, the lone right arm spinner 4th  on this list, has 58 dismissals of opening batsmen from 126 IPL innings.

#5. Sandeep Sharma  – 56 

Sandeep Sharma  has achieved 56 dismissals of opening batsmen in 126 IPL innings.

Conclusion

The statistics clearly show that spinners play a dominant role in dismissing openers in the IPL. Harbhajan Singh and Ravi Ashwin’s clever spin bowling has been highly effective in countering aggressive openers.

Among pacers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Zaheer Khan have utilized good swing with the new ball to induce outside edges.

Bowlers who have managed to secure these crucial top-order wickets in IPL matches have consistently applied pressure on the opposition batting lineup, often turning the game in favor of their teams.

The bowlers on this list recognized the significance of dismissing openers early in the innings and consistently focused on achieving that, making it challenging for rival teams.