Top Ten Greatest Spinners Of All Time is a list which will take you back in history and then bring you back to the recent past talking about those who spun the cricket ball like no one else could. The ability to spin the ball needs to be cultivated and only then can it be used as a successful weapon against the opponent. Bringing you the list of the Top Ten Greatest Spinners Of All Time.
Top Ten Greatest spinners Of All Time – 10,9 and 8
10. Derek Underwood (England)
In a career spanning over a decade, he took 297 wickets in 86 Test matches for England. Nicknamed ‘Deadly’ by his teammates, he was the devil himself on rain-affected pitches. He was not really a low bowler as his balls reached you at a medium pace. He was well known for his accuracy and precision. He turns it quite easily to enter the list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
9. Richie Benaud (Australia)
Known to one and all as one of the greatest commentators to hold the microphone in cricket history, Benaud was a wicket taking machine. The reason he is ranked higher than Underwood in this list is because he took 248 wickets in just 63 matches. A mentor to the likes of Ian Chappell and Shane Warne, Benaud’s transformation as a player was truly remarkable. He books a berth here in this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
8. Lance Gibbs (West Indies)
The second bowler and the first spinner to cross the 300 wickets mark, Lance Gibbs, took 309 wickets in 79 Test matches. His fingers tossed the ball around and his unusual action added to the mystery. His outstanding figures of 38-8 with 37 maidens against India at Barbados are an achievement which deserves respect from one and all. Strikingly, all the eight wickets came in a fifteen over spell with Gibbs giving away only six runs. He enters into this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time in his pure Windie style.
Top Ten Greatest Spinners Of All Time- 7, 6 and 5
7. Bishan Singh Bedi (India)
It’s variety which brings Bedi up here at number seven in this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time. Movement in the air, delivering those loopy ones and speed it up when the batsman would least expect it. Bedi was a charmer with the ball in his hands and was an outspoken personality. His expressions were animated and his thoughts were loud and clear. He took 266 wickets in 66 matches. Quite an addition to the list, Bedi sits at number seven with authority.
6. Abdul Qadir (Pakistan)
The list will be incomplete without a certain Abdul Qadir in it. Taking 236 wickets in 67 matches, the spinner from Pakistan packed six different ones in an over surprising the batsman over and over again before the batsman finally submitted to Qadir’s will and excellence. Qadir reserves one here in this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
5. Jim Laker (England)
Venue: Old Trafford and Year: 1956, Jim Laker sends 19 , yes a nineteen Australian batsmen back to the pavilion becoming the first bowler to pick up ten wickets in one single innings in a Test match. His off-breaks were totally unplayable and Laker picked up 193 wickets in just 46 Test matches. His achievements sail him through to this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
Top Ten Greatest Spinners Of All Time- 4, 3 and 2
4. Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan)
The man who gave us the ‘doosra’ and turned it around for everyone to see, but not understand. Saqlain’s doosra was a regular off-spin which would turn away from the batsman leaving him clueless. He was the fastest bowler to 100 wickets and ended his career with 208 Test wickets in 49 matches and 288 ODI wickets in 169 matches. Mushtaq stands here in this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time with respect and applause.
3. Anil Kumble (India)
Rushing the ball into the batsman using his tall height and with total ruthlessness ‘Jumbo’ would make the batsman surrender. Picking a mammoth 619 wickets for India in just 132 Test matches, Kumble won India more matches than one can even think about winning. Kumble’s die hard attitude and his continuous playing with the batsman’s mind always resulted in a wicket. He took ten wickets in an innings against Pakistan and became only the second bowler to do so. He won that match for India out of nowhere. The third highest wicket taker in the history of Test cricket, Anil Kumble, jumbo dances into this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
The ‘smiling assassin’ packed 800 Test wickets in 133 Test matches and 534 wickets in 350 ODIs. Without a doubt one of the greatest spinners of all time. Murali’s achievements, abilities, talent and longevity cannot be expressed/defined/explained in words. One has to witness the magic and then feel blessed. His action was scary and those scary eyes wide open chased away the Batsman’s intentions of scoring against Murali. Murali might be at number 2 but he leads this pack of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.
:::: THE GREATEST ::::
1. Shane Warne (Australia)
He picked up 708 wickets in 145 Test matches and 293 wickets in 194 ODIs. Warne climbs to the top of this list pepping Murali for the number one spot because of his ability to master an art of bowling which actually belongs to the sub-continent. Warne’s action was sophisticated and is imitated (loosely of course) by many bowlers in world cricket. The man had a huge arsenal of deliveries for the batsman. The ones which came in, the ones that left you, the zooter, the slider, the toppie or the one that sloped out a bit … every delivery was a challenge for the batsman. The ball of the century belongs to Warne and hits on YouTube videos keep going round the clock to see this legend in action. Warne is at the top of this list of the top ten greatest spinners of all time.