In cricket, spinners are the masters of deceit. Whichever team they play for, they are a valuable asset. While fast bowlers rely more on strength and speed, spinners need to be more p recise and astute in their methods. Spinners play a crucial role in a cricket team. Since its inception, spin-bowling has evolved as an artistic medium. There are several methods that a spinner can use. There are four main categories: leg-break, orthodox left-arm, unorthodox left-arm, and off-spin.
In contemporary cricket, spinners have grown in value with the introduction of shorter formats. Spinners are unmatched when it comes to securing wickets.
Here is a list of the top 10 Best spinners from each country:
10. Imran Tahir – South Africa
Imran Tahir. (Photo Source: Instagram)
The atmosphere used to get darker and more intense for the opposition batters as soon as Imran Tahir used to come on the pitch to bowl. Although a relatively shorter career in International Cricket, Tahir found exceptional success in the T20 format across tournaments worldwide.
He has surely been one of the best spinners that has represented the African team. He has picked up 57, 173 and 63 wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively for his nation. He played a crucial role for his team and emerged as a match-winner on innumerable occasions.
9. Rashid Khan – Afghanistan
Rashid Khan (Photo Source: Twitter)
Rashid Khan, a player with skill on par with the greatest in the world, has become well-known all over the world. The Afghan spinner is nearly unplayable with a dozen variations in his toolkit. He has participated in 184 matches and claimed 347 wickets in international cricket. He has particularly cemented his reputation as an unbeatable bowler in the global T20 circuit. Rashid is without a doubt the world’s top spinner right now.
8. Saqlain Mushtaq – Pakistan
Saqlain Mushtaq hat trick vs Zimbabwe (Photo Source: Twitter)
Saqlain Mushtaq may not have amassed as many wickets as some of the other players on this list, but his style of play genuinely altered the course of the match. Saqlain gained notoriety by inventing the well-known “Doosra.”
When Saqlain Mushtaq arrived, leg-spin as an art form was gaining popularity and the period of off-spinners was at its lowest point. However, Saqlain brought his “doosra” and revolutionized off-spin bowling, reviving its popularity.
With 208 Test wickets and 288 one-day wickets, Saqlain has amassed 496 wickets in international cricket. He became the fastest bowler in history to take 100 ODI wickets due to his immense influence. He continues to hold the record for most ODI wickets taken in a calendar year.
7. Graeme Swann – England
Ex-England bowler Graeme Swann (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for Specsavers)
Graeme Swann was one of the greatest off-spinners of his day and one of England’s greatest spinners to date. The aggressive bowling style of English right-arm off-break bowler Swann was well-known. He was England’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket for a spell, and he was instrumental in the team’s 2009 and 2010–11 Ashes victories.
Swann was the best English spinner of his day and gained notoriety for creating the “flying saucer ball.”
With 410 international wickets in 178 international games, Swann is deserving of a place on the list of the world’s top spinners.
6. Shakib-al-Hasan – Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (Photo Source: Twitter)
Shakib is an all-around player with versatility who excels at both spin bowling and hitting. He joins one of the greatest all-around players this game has ever seen in all formats. He is a left-arm spinner for Bangladesh who has had incredible success. He is now ranked 18th among all players with the most wickets in all versions of the game and is closing close on a unique record of 700 wickets in all formats.
Shakib can shut down the scoring rate, take wickets, and exert control over the game. He has led the team for a considerable amount of time and has led his team to multiple victories.
5. Lance Gibbs – West Indies
Lance Gibbs bowling. (Photo Source: Ken Kelly/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Tall, with long fingers and an energetic gait, Lance Gibbs completed his overs quickly. He made extensive use of the crease, made deft flight modifications, and spun the bowl a lot. More than sixty years after making his debut, he remains, without a doubt, the greatest West Indian spinner. He was the first West Indian to hold the record for most Test wickets taken (309).
He was the dominant bowler of the decade, frequently dismissing the West Indies. In Test cricket, he had an economy rate of 1.98 and an average of 29.1. Lance Gibbs ended his last 79th test with 309 wickets at 29.09, smashing Fred Trueman’s previous record by two wickets in the last Test match against Australia in 1975–76.
4. Daniel Vettori – New Zealand
Daniel Vettori made his debut in 1997 at the age of 18, the youngest New Zealand player ever and is regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers in New Zealand cricket history. During his career, he took numerous wickets for his international side with his slow-arm, orthodox bowling style.
He was the team’s captain from 2007 to 2011. During his international career, Vettori claimed 362 wickets in 133 Tests, 305 wickets in 295 ODIs, and 38 wickets in 34 T20Is. In the long history of Test cricket, he is also one of just eight players to have amassed 3,000 runs and 300 wickets.
3. Anil Kumble – India
Anil Kumble. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Anil Kumble, a retired Indian cricket hero, is thought to be the third-best spin bowler in the world. He is often referred to as the “greatest match-winner” for Team India, and he successfully carried on his nearly two-decade-long career with his right-arm leg-break bowling technique.
Among his many career bowling milestones, his 10-wicket haul against Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla in 1999 earned him the reputation of being the finest spin bowler in Indian cricket at his age. He finished with 619 wickets in 132 Test matches and 337 wickets in 271 One Day Internationals.
2. Shane Warne – Australia
Shane Warne bowling 1993 Ashes. (Photo Source: Gettyimages)
The greatest leg spinner in the world, Shane Warne, is also commonly known as the “King of Spin.” Warne was a great craftsman with a multitude of talents and a sharp cricketing mind who, by himself, brought back the dying art of leg-spin. He picked up all the classic wrist-spinner varieties with ease, including the flipper, leg-spinner, and googly top-spinner.
Cricket had some of its most pivotal moments thanks to Shane Warne. “The ball of the century” is only one instance of one of these occasions. Warner has 293 ODI wickets in 194 matches and 708 test wickets in 145 tests. He will undoubtedly go down in history as the greatest spinner in the world with such achievements.
1. Muttiah Murlidharan – Sri Lanka
Muttiah Muralitharan, the best spinner of all time, was truly a sight to behold. His achievements have been astounding, both overseas and in Asia’s spin-friendly pitches. Ironically, the majority of Muralitharan’s wickets came at pitches that were regarded as a spinners’ graveyard. In addition to India and Sri Lanka, he also claimed wickets in England and Australia.
Muralitharan, the spin bowling maestro, was the ICC No. 1 for 1,711 days at one point. A frightening record unto itself. With 1,334 wickets at the end of his international career, Murali set a record that is unlikely to be surpassed. Muttiah Muralitharan will always be regarded as the greatest spinner in history when it comes to spin-bowling.