10 Best Spinners in the World: Legends of Spin Bowling!

Traces of spin bowling in cricket date back to the 19th century with bowlers desperately trying to find a way to deceive batsmen through deliveries other than pace bowling. England’s largely lifeless pitches made it all the more necessary that bowlers came up with techniques that batters couldn’t easily do away with. Thus came the rise of spinners like Tom Horan and Wilfred Rhodes, who invented variations like flight and dip, which have since evolved manifold over the decades to produce some of the best spinners in the world.

Spin saw a mighty rise in the 20th century when the types of spin bowling expanded into the likes of off-spin, leg-spin, chinaman and left-arm orthodox as tacticians took a specific interest in transforming this art form into a weapon. 

Spin bowling legends like Muthiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne polished deliveries like “doosra” and “googly” to further bring in a mystique in spin bowling that makes them the legends of the game. Spin bowling is a primary delivery across all three formats of cricket today. 

Below we discuss the 10 best spinners who are plying their trade currently in the international circuit.

Top 10 Best Spinners in the World (Currently)

Ravichandran Ashwin

India’s premier spin bowler for over a decade now, Ravichandran Ashwin started his career with an ODI and T20I debuts in 2010, before he became a mainstay in the longest format of the game since making his Test debut in 2011. A thinking bowler who possesses brilliant control of the ball and multiple, subtle variations, Ashwin has a whopping 761 wickets to his name so far, in just 285 games. Batting as a middle-order batsman for his domestic side, he is a handy all-rounder as well who has helped India in dire situations over the years. While his white-ball outings have reduced signfiicantly, he has been showing his effectiveness in IPL year after year. 

Shakib-al-Hasan

Bangladesh’s longest-serving player, who has played the most T20 World Cups jointly alongside Rohit Sharna, Shakib-al-Hasan is known for his off-spin variations and crucial batting contributions in the middle-order. The former Bangladesh captain debuted in white-ball cricket in 2006 before a Test team call-up came knocking. He has been fundamental in Bangladesh’s rise to a regular ICC event participant from just being an associate nation in the early 2000s. He has 712 scalps to his name across all formats.

Ravindra Jadeja

Quite similar to Shakib, Ravindra Jadeja has been playing a similar role for India as a left-arm orthodox bowler and a middle-order batter. The southpaw made his white-ball debuts in 2009 and hasn’t looked back since. Though a Test team debut took time to come, it did happen three years later and Jadeja has been a mainstay in the Indian side as a reliable player. Besides disciplined bowling and consistent batting performances, Jadeja is also one of the finest fielders in world cricket. He has 583 wickets to his name so far.

Nathan Lyon

Australia’s hunt for a reliable spinner since the departure of Shane Warne ended when Nathan Lyon debuted in the longest format in 2011. The smart bowler is known for his control of the ball and consistent line and length that have troubled many a batsman. Though Lyon made subsequent debuts in ODIs and T20Is in 2012 and 2016 respectively, he is best suited in the Test format. So far, the spinner has 560 scalps to his name across all formats.

Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid’s rise to fame had to wait a long time before the ECB recognized it and gave him regular chances. However, once the chance presented itself, Rashid has been a productive figure for the England side across all formats of the game with his sharp leg spin that has helped him take wickets in the middle overs. After Rashid made his white-ball debuts in 2009, it took him six long years to make a Test debut, but he is one of the higher ICC-ranked players today with 384 wickets to his name.

Rashid Khan

Afghanistan’s rise to prominence needed a star player who could become a household name with his charming personality and unparalleled talent. And Rashid Khan was an answer to that. The dynamic leg-spinner made his ODI and T20I debuts in 2015 and turned heads with his fast-paced spin bowling and magical googles, which made his one of the prized possessions in T20 leagues with the likes of IPL, Big Bash League and others grabbing him soon. Rashid made his Test debut in 2018 and has 376 wickets to his name so far. 

Moeen Ali

Yet another England spin spinner with a subcontinental origin, who has become popular with his art form, is Moeen Ali. Unlike Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali started his career with a Test debut in 2014 before his impressive displays saw whiteball call-ups come knocking at the door. Over the years, Ali has shown versatility and a skillset that makes him a suitable bowling option across all formats of the game. Barring his bowling, Moeen Ali has also made a name for himself as a hard-hitter under MS Dhoni’s captaincy with the Chennai Super Kings. 

Kuldeep Yadav

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav made waves upon his Test debut in 2018 when his chinaman bowling style flummoxed the Australian batters on the Indian pitches during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, subsequent inconsistent bowling displays and Kuldeep’s inability to improve with time saw him losing a spot. He returned in 2023 before helping India win the T20 World Cup 2024. His ability to take crucial wickets makes the leg-spinner a brilliant asset for any side. He has 297 wickets in just 157 games across all formats.

Adam Zampa

One of the bigger reasons Nathan Lyon couldn’t cement a spot in Australia’s white-ball team is Adam Zampa. The lanky, blonde kid broke into the side in 2016 with sharp spin bowling variations and an impressive batting acumen and hasn’t looked back since. Since debuting in ODIs and T20Is in 2016, Zampa also made a Test debut five years later. He has 288 wickets in 195 games.

Wanindu Hasaranga

A more recent phenomenon in world cricket, Sri Lanka’s star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is a treat to watch when he is on a roll. The dynamic all-rounder made his T20I debut in 2019 and his talent was quite evident. Though the pandemic delayed his ODI and Test debut by almost two years, Hasaranga was back to his form from the get-go with his T20I best figures of 4/9 a stupendous achievement. He even landed an IPL contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore soon, before injuries kept him away for the major part of last year.  Hasaranga has 216 wickets in just 136 games.

Best Leg Spinner in the World

Without a doubt, former Australian spinner Shane Warne is regarded as the best leg spinner in cricket history, owing to an inspired generation to take up spin bowling. Making his international debut on September 18, 1992, in a Test match against India, Warne started his career that would be etched in the cricketing folklore forever.   

Though Warne was expected to come good, no one expected him to become so good. As he progressed, Warne’s ability to turn the ball from unnatural angles caught eyeballs soon. To add to that ability, Warne developed skills to deceive batsmen through variations like "googly" and "flipper". 

Soon he turned into the perfect leg-spinner, the proof of which came in an Ashes game in 1994 when Warne ended a game with 8/71 against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The leg-spinner ended his career with a whopping 708 Test wickets, thus becoming the second-highest wicket-taker in Test history. He wasn’t as effective in white-ball cricket but still had 293 scalps to his name with his best figures being 5/36.

Warne’s peak came in 1997 when he was elected the ICC Cricketer of the Year for taking 68 Test wickets. When Warne retired in 2007, he was also inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Warne’s biggest achievement, however, was revamping leg-spin bowling which inspired numerous young bowlers to trade the swag of speed bowling for leg-spin bowling that was made popular by Warne’s charisma and flamboyant attitude.   

Best Off Spinner in the World

While Shane Warne was the best leg-spinner that the world had seen, his contemporary Muthiah Muralidaran was the best bowler of his time. If gone by the total number of wickets taken, then the former Sri Lankan spinner is still the best bowler in cricket and the best off-spinner to ever play the game.

Incidentally, Muralidaran made his Test debut in the same year as Warne, against Australia and the two players became the ultimate adversaries. Like Warne, Muralidaran was also revelled for his unique bowling style and insane wicket-taking ability.

Muralidaran’s best outing came against India in 2002 when he took nine wickets by conceding just 91 runs in a single inning. He eventually ended his Test career with 800 wickets, the most by any bowler. The spinner’s ODI stint was equally remarkable where he tallied 534 wickets with his best figures reading 7/30.

Muralidaran’s biggest milestone came in 2007 when he reached 800 Test wickets, a record that still stands 14 years after his retirement. The spinner was known for his masterful spin variations, but most importantly, the “doosra” - a delivery that Muralidaran used to devastating effects. He was also inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2017.

All-Time Best Spinners in Cricket History

Muthiah Muralidaran

Widely believed to be amongst the greatest spinners in the history of cricket, Muthiah Muralidaran made his ODI debut in 1993 and Test debut in 1992. Apart from tallying a whopping 1347 wickets across all the three formats of the game in just 495 games, the Kandy-born has also been an IPL legend with 63 wickets in 66 games. He has been a part of multiple IPL teams in a mentor’s role as well.

Shane Warne

Muralidaran’s contemporary and the greatest leg-spinner to ever play the game, former Australian star Shane Warne is second on the list of the best spinners in world cricket ever. He trails Muralidaran by 346 wickets in international cricket but still has a stunning 1001-wicket tally to his name. If Muralidaran excelled in delivering the “doosra, Warne had mastered the craft of bowling “googly”. The top two spinners are responsible for leaving a lasting legacy in cricket’s history of spin bowling.

Anil Kumble

Former Indian spinner and coach Anil Kumble sits third on the list. Yet another contemporary of Warne and Muralidaran, the Indian leg-spinner was a mainstay in the Indian team for 18 long years. Kumble’s best bowling figure of 10/74 came against Pakistan in a single innings, which remains a historical achievement even today. He might have had as iconic status like Warne and Muralidaran, but the Bangalore bowler did help transition Indian cricket from mere contenders to world beaters. Kumble retired with 956 wickets in 403 games.

Harbhajan Singh

Yet another India spinner on this list, Harbhajan Singh was selected to succeed Anil Kumble in the Indian team and the off-spinner took up the responsibility really well. He could pull off the “doosra” delivery almost as good as Muralidaran with the deception right on point. Fondly called “Bhajji” or the “Turbanator”, Harabhajan Singh won two World Cups - 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup - with the Men in Blue. He retired with 711 wickets in 367 games. He has 150 wickets in IPL in 163 games.

Daniel Vettori

Former New Zealand spinner and captain Daniel Vettori was a left-arm spinner who was the Kiwi’s biggest weapon in subcontinental conditions. A handy all-rounder who could hold his end of the crease at the most critical situations, Vettori was an important player for New Zealand for more than a decade. His best bowling figures came in Test when he ended a game with 7/87. He tallied 705 wickets in 442 games across all three formats of the game and later on became a sought-after coach in T20 league including the IPL. 

Shahid Afridi

The much-celebrated Pakistani cricketer was largely known for his explosive batting as he held the record for the fastest ODI century for a long time. However, he became a more effective leg-spinner for the side, a skill that kept him in the starting eleven far longer than he should have. After numerous retirement fiasco, Afridi finall retired from all formats of cricket with an impressive 541 wickets in 521 games. The all-rounder is still regarded by Pakistan fans to be one of the best players to ever don the green jersey. 

Image Credits: Shahid Afridi//Getty Images

 Saqlain Mushtaq

Shahid Afridi is followed by his compatriot and yet another classy spinner in Saqlain Mushtaq. While Muralidaran and Harbhajan perfected the “doosra” delivery, it was Mushtaq who is credited to have come up with the unique delivery. Saqlain Mushtaq was known for his exceptional control of the ball and variations that won Pakistan loads of matches in the mid-90s. He played two World Cups for Pakistan and ended his career with 496 wickets in 218 matches, which included the Test and ODI formats. 

Saeed Ajmal

The third consecutive Pakistani spinner on this list, Saeed Ajmal rose to prominence in the 2000s for his off-spin bowling that proved to be largely effective. “Doosra” was his specialty as well and he used it to devastating effects in white-ball cricket where his best figure is 5/24. He remained Pakistan’s main bowler for many years before fading away. He ended his career with 447 wickets in just 212 games.

Graeme Swann

England hasn’t been known to produce many great spinners over the decades, which make Graeme Swann’s achievements exemplary. Known for sharp turn and witty variations from time to time, Swann played a prominent role in England’s Ashes win in 2010. His best Test bowling figure is 7/55 as the Northampton-lad retired with 410 wickets in just 178 matches across all formats.

H3 - Imran Tahir

The former South African spinner started his international career quite late but still managed to make an impact. Known for his impressive leg spin bowling and animated celebrations, Imran Tahir remained a mainstay for the Proteas for years helping AB de Villiers and company to challenge in multiple ICC events. Tahir retired with 293 wickets in 165 games across all three formats of the game. He became an iconic figure in India for winning Chennai Super Kings win the IPL under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.