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Spin Bowling in cricket requires a lot of practice and skills. A great spinner can turn out to be a game-changer for his team by using various techniques like leg spin, googly, flipper, leg break, and others. Spin bowling has also different types like off-spin, leg-break, orthodox left-arm, and unorthodox left-arm.
In cricket, there have been many star spinners in the world who turned out to be match-winners for their team/country with their magical spin bowling. Those players have the best batters in the world with their ability to turn the ball with their skills. In this article, we will talk about the top 10 all-time best spinners in the world.
Best Spinner in the World 2024
10. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Coming from an associate cricketing nation like Afghanistan, Rashid Khan has now become one of the best spinners in the world at just 25 years of age. The right-arm leg spinner has troubled some top batters around the world with his skills and turn. He achieved so many milestones in a short span of his career so far and is on his way to becoming the legend of the game till the end of his career. Rashid Khan broke the record of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc to become the fastest and the youngest bowler to take 100 wickets in the ODI format. He achieved this milestone in just 44 innings in the 50-over format. Rashid is also the fastest player to take 100 wickets in T20I, by achieving the milestone in just 53 games in the shortest format. He has played five Tests, 103 ODIs, and 82 T20Is for Afghanistan along with 109 matches in the IPL, with 34 wickets in Tests, 183 wickets in ODIs, 130 wickets in T20Is, and 139 scalps in the IPL.
9. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been key a spin bowler for India throughout the years, especially in Tests. He is currently the number-one bowler in the ICC Test ranking and has won many matches for India with his bowling. Apart from being a great bowler, Ashwin is also a great cricketing brain and troubled the batsman with his tactics and game plan. The 37-year-old is on his way to becoming a legend of the Indian bowling. He has played 94 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is with 489 wickets in Tests, 152 Scalps in ODIs and 72 scalps in T20Is. He has also picked 171 wickets in 197 IPL games in his career so far. Ashwin still plays for India and is one of the most senior players in Tests for Men in Blue.
8. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)
Daniel Vettori is a former New Zealand cricketer and is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers to ever play for the country. He has taken so many wickets for New Zealand with his slow left-arm orthodox bowling. Vettori has also served as the captain of New Zealand between 2007 to 2011. He was also a great all-rounder and one of the eight players to pick 300 wickets in score 3000 runs in the history of Test cricket. He took 362 wickets in 133 Test matches, along with 305 wickets in 295 ODIs, and 38 wickets in 34 T20Is during his international career.
7. Abdul Qadir (Pakistan)
Former Pakistani spinner Abdul Qadir turned out to be one of the finest spin bowlers in a country that is now known for its fast bowlers. His right-arm leg spin bowling also included variations like leg-break, topspin, flipper, and googly that resulted in many wickets and fans’ adoration. Qadir is regarded as one of the most flexible and varied spin spinners in the history of the game. He has played 67 Tests and 104 ODIs for Pakistan with 368 scalps across both formats. He has also served as the chief selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
6. Harbhajan Singh (India)
Former Indin spinner Harbhajan Singh is also among the best spin bowlers in the world with some great accomplishments throughout his career. He has the second-highest number of wickets by an off-spinner in Test cricket and is also the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the red-ball format. Harbhajan was a part of the Indian team that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. he has taken 413 wickets in 101 Tests, 259 wickets in 229 ODI matches, and 25 scalps from 28 T20Is he played for India.
5. Graeme Swann (England)
Former England right-arm off-spinner Graeme Swann has been one of the best spinners to play for the country. He is among the bowlers who took all 10 wickets in a Test innings. Swann is also known for inventing his famous “flying saucer ball” and was the prime English spinner of his time. He has played a total of 178 matches across formats in his international career and has picked up a total of 410 wickets.
4. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
Rangana Herath is the former Sri Lankan cricketer who has helped his side to multiple victories with his left-arm orthodox bowling. He was kind of a player who provided breakthroughs for his team in clutch situations. In his long career of 19 years, Herath has played 33 wickets in 93 Tests and 74 wickets in 71 ODI along with 18 scalps from 17 T20I games.
3. Anil Kumble (India)
Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble is regarded as the best spinner the country ever had. He is also mentioned as the greatest match winner and has won so many matches for India in his two-decade-long career. Kumble is the only Indian bowler to take 10 wickets in an innings of a Test as he achieved the milestone in a match against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999. He has taken 619 wickets in 132 Test matches and 337 wickets in 271 ODI matches he played for India and has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he took 45 wickets from 42 matches.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
The Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan is regarded as the best spin bowler to ever play for Sri Lanka. He was the greatest spinner of his time and has instilled a fear on the opposition batters with his bowling. Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker of all time across all formats with 1347 wickets from 495 matches in his international career. He is also the only bowler to take 800 wickets in Test Cricket and is also the leading wicket-taker in the format. He took 800 wickets in 133 Test matches, 534 wickets in 350 ODI matches, and 63 wickets in 66 IPL matches.
1. Shane Warne (Australia)
Arguably the greatest spin bowler of all time, Australia’s Shane Warne tops the list of the best spinners in the world. He is the second bowler after Muralitharan to take more than 1000 wickets across all formats with 1001 scalps from 339 matches in his international career. Warne went on to become the greatest spin bowler by coming from a country which has produced some fast bowlers throughout the years. He has taken 708 wickets in 145 Test matches, following 293 wickets in 194 ODI matches.
