IPL 2019: 3 spinners who can also open the batting for their franchise

Indian Premier League has been a valuable platform for several uncapped players to showcase their talents and skills. Right from batting during the death overs to bowling within the power-play, it cash-rich tournament has truly tested some of the biggest names in the game today.

IPL has always been full of twists and turns. Over the years, we have seen many surprising decisions being made in the competition. Some of them work and some of them don't. One of the biggest shocks ever was to see Sunil Narine opening the batting and plundering bowlers all over the ground. And it is safe to say that the decision has worked wonder for KKR.

Here, we take a look at the three spinners who could surprise everyone by opening the batting in the IPL 2019 edition.

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#3 Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is an exceptional leg-spinner from Afghanistan and has been a regular performer with the ball in the Indian Premier League since his debut.

He also presented his intelligence with the bat in the international arena and in various T20 leagues all over the globe.

Thus far, Rashid has not got enough chances to showcase his batting in the cash-rich league. But last year, he played a vital cameo against Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier where he scored 34 runs off just 10 balls to help his team post an above-par target of 173.

It will be engaging to see how Hyderabad use Rashid's batting skill in the upcoming season of IPL.

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#2 Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine has been a vital figure for Kolkata Knight Riders ever since he made his debut for the team. He was a key member when they won their titles in 2012 and 2014 and will look to perform with both bat and ball this summer.

He has taken 112 wickets from 98 IPL matches and has scored 629 runs. In 2017 Indian Premier League, KKR made a surprising move by opening the batting with him. He made a habit of batting aggressively in the powerplays and collected some quick runs so that the middle order can breathe easy in the middle over. He also holds the achievement for the fastest joint fifty of IPL in just 15 deliveries.

Sunil Narine is expected to open the batting with Robin Uthappa or Chris Lynn in the IPL 2019.

#1 Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar is one of the youngest skilled off-spinners in the nation at present.

Sundar can open the batting as well as bowling. He hasn't got the chance to do that any in the IPL yet but he has done it in Tamil Nadu Premiere League (TNPL).

While opening the batting in the 2017 TNPL, Washington Sundar played extremely well as he scored 458 runs from 9 games at an outstanding strike rate of 154.56, and was also the highest run-scorer in the tournament. These impressive figures show that he has the capability to open the batting.

In the 2018 Indian Premier League Auction, Sundar was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He definitely deserves an opportunity to open the batting. It will be intriguing to see if RCB will try him at top order in the upcoming season of IPL.