Leg-spin Economics: Adam Zampa’s version and the IPL’s counter-narrative

Adam Zampa’s blunt statement about leg-spinners not getting enough bucks at the IPL compared to other players of other skillsets, on the ARY podcast, was striking. 

"I wasn't really on the radar. I pulled out of the IPL this year. I mean, to be brutally honest, for someone with my skillset, doesn't get the money. Yeah, that is there for other skillsets and for the amount of time that the IPL takes, it just didn't seem like a reasonable choice for me to keep playing it and then I was going to have a break but PSL then was on the radar a month ago really, it's all happened really quick, but I'm enjoying it," said Zampa who is plying his trade for Karachi Kings for PKR 4.5 crore this PSL season.

But the numbers tell a more layered story.

Auction Trail: Spinners who cashed In

Since 2008, spinners have repeatedly commanded hefty bids:

• Harbhajan Singh (2008) – $850,000 to Mumbai Indians
• Muttiah Muralidaran (2011) – $1.1 million to Kochi Tuskers Kerala
• Sunil Narine (2012) – $700,000 to KKR
• Amit Mishra (2014, 2015) – INR 4.75 crore and INR 3.5 crore to SRH and DD, respectively
• Murugan Ashwin (2016) – INR 4.5 crore to RPS
• Rashid Khan (2017, 2018) – INR 4 crore and then INR 9 crore to SRH
• Varun Chakravarthy (2019) – INR 8.4 crore to KXIP
• Piyush Chawla (2020) – INR 6.75 crore to CSK
• Yuzvendra Chahal (2022, 2025) – INR 6.5 crore to RR, then a record INR 18 crore to Punjab Kings
• Ravi Bishnoi (2026) – INR 7.2 crore to RR

Leg‑spinners like Rashid Khan, Chahal, Bishnoi, Mishra, and Chakravarthy have consistently fetched premium prices, directly contradicting the notion that the skillset is undervalued.

The overseas vs homegrown theory

It’s true IPL franchises often splurge more on Indian talent, but Rashid Khan’s trajectory proves overseas spinners can command elite valuations. From INR 9 crore in 2018 to INR 15 crore with Gujarat Titans in 2022, and being retained at INR 18 crore for this season, Rashid’s case dismantles the 'foreign spinner undervalued' argument.

Purple Cap reality check

Yet, there’s another layer. In 18 IPL seasons, only three spinners have won the Purple Cap:

• Pragyan Ojha (2010) – 21 wickets
• Imran Tahir (2019) – 26 wickets
• Yuzvendra Chahal (2022) – 27 wickets

This rarity highlights why franchises may hesitate to bet big on spinners consistently. Seamers dominate wicket charts, and owners often equate value with wicket-taking impact.

The Zampa Paradox

Adam Zampa is indisputably among the best spinners in world cricket today. Ranked sixth in ICC Men’s T20I rankings with 682 points, boasting 147 wickets in 115 T20Is at a miserly 7.37 economy. Yet his IPL record tells a different story: 31 wickets in 22 games at 8.37.

He burst onto the scene with Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016, bagging 12 wickets in five matches at 6.76. But subsequent seasons saw his economy balloon, 8.21 (2017), 8.36 (2020), 8.54 (2023). His nadir came in 2025 with SRH, leaking 94 runs at 11.75 in just two games, after which he was benched despite his compatriot Pat Cummins leading the side.

Zampa’s frustration is understandable; his IPL numbers haven’t matched his global pedigree. But to say spinners (leg-spinners) don’t attract money is only half the truth. Auction history is littered with examples of leg‑spinners breaking the bank. 

The real issue isn’t the skillset itself, but whether a spinner has proven to be a consistent IPL game‑changer. Zampa’s world‑class T20I record contrasts sharply with his IPL returns, and that gap explains why franchises haven’t valued him like Rashid or Chahal.