Over the years, Cricket has become one of the most popular sports on this planet. There are bowlers who have created a great legacy with their amazing bowling spells.
Here is the list of the top 10 bowlers, who is considered as the best off spinners of all time:
1. M Muralitharan:
When talking about spinners, there is no big name than Muralitharan. He is considered as the most successful and greatest off spinner to play the game. This player popularised the art of turning the ball with wrist and confusing the player. Later he added the most deadly weapon to his skills, Doosara. Even though his bowling action was under the cloud of doubt for many times, tests always kept his name clean.
Muralitharan is the highest wicket taker in both ODI as well as tests. In tests he took his 800th and last wicket on the last delivery of his last test match. He has also taken 534 ODI wickets at an average of 23.08.
Also Read | Dramatic End to Muttiah Muralitharan Career
2. Ravichandarn Ashwin:
Ashwin is one of the most deadly off spinner in the modern era. His amazing turn has confused the batsmen many times. Ashwin is the fastest Indian bowler to reach 100 wickets in test cricket from just 18 matches. Ravichandran Ashwin has only played 71 Tests but already has 365 wickets which include 27 five-wicket hauls and 7 ten-wicket hauls. He has represented India in 111 ODIs and has taken 150 wickets. Ashwin has also taken 52 wickets in the 46 T20I he has played for India. Apart from being an outstanding bowler, he has also earned the reputation of a bowling all-rounder and has 4 Test century and 11 half-centuries to his name.
3. Saeed Ajmal:
Ajmal is one of the most fearsome off spinners who has represented Pakistan in international cricket. With his amazing bowling performances, he made his place among the best bowlers in the world. After playing his first test match at the age of 32, this payer made his name one of the worst nightmare for the batsmen. Saeed Ajmal is the quickest to reach 100 Test wickets for Pakistan. His career stats are very impressive and show the potential that he had in him. He played just 35 Test for Pakistan and has 178 dismissals to his name. In ODIs, he has taken 184 wickets in 113 matches. And, in T20Is Ajmal has secured 85 wickets in 64 matches with an outstanding average of 17.83.
4. Harbhajan Singh:
Harbhajan Singh is one of the biggest bowling figures that India has ever produced. Dominated with his Doosara on the fields, Harbhajan debuted in the Indian jersey in the year 1998. He literally made his debut series on of the best he has ever played. Bhaji became the first Indian player to take a hat-trick in test matches. He is also the 10th Indian player to play 100 test matches in career. He is the third highest wicket-taker for India in Tests, standing only behind Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev. Harbhajan has 417 wickets in the 103 Tests he played for India. He has also played 236 ODIs and has taken 269 wickets.
5. Nathan Lyon:
Nathan Lyon is the answer of Australia’s search for an effective front line spinner after the retirement of Shane Warne. Lyon is an off-spinner with a neat action that relies on subtle variations in the flight and pace. He holds the record for the most Test wickets taken by an Australian off-spin bowler, after taking 141 wickets in 2015. “Test specialist” Nathan Lyon has played 96 Tests so far in his career and has 390 dismissals to his name with an average of 31.59. His best bowling performance is 8/50. Lyon has faced challenges from time to time and has also been dropped from the team. However, he has overcome these challenges to become Australia’s most prolific off-spinner.
6. Jim Laker:
Jim Laker is one of the best bowlers in the cricket history. Playing for England in the international cricket, this player has orchestrated victory in many matches for the team. Laker became the first ever player to take all 10 wickets in a Test match innings. In 1956, he took 10 for 53 in the 2nd innings of the 4th Ashes Test against Australia and finished the match with 19 wickets. Laker’s 46 wickets in the 5-Test 1956 Ashes series is an unbroken record in an Ashes series.
In 46 Test matches, he took 193 wickets with a whooping average of 21.24. His first-class record is also very much amazing. He played County cricket for Surrey and Essex and took 1,944 wickets at an average 18.41. In 2009, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
7. Saqlain Mushtaq:
No true cricket fan can forget about Saqlain Muahtaq, who is the pioneer of Doosara, which was the nightmare for many batsmen. Saqlain was the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets in history. His Test record is also equally impressive. Mushtaq’s most fabulous performance came against arch-rivals India at Chennai in 1999 when his spell of 10 for 187 made Pakistan smile after a notable victory. Saqlain played 49 Test matches for Pakistan after making his debut in 1995 against Sri Lanka in Peshawar. He finished his career with 208 wickets at an average of 29.83 which included 13 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
8. EAS Prasanna:
EAS Prasanna is the Indian off spin magician that amazed the cricket lovers with his amazing bowling performances. He is also considered as one of the biggest advocates of spin cricket in India. Prasanna made his debut for India against India at Chennai in 1968. He was also the India's fastest player to reach 100 Test wickets from just 20 Test matches until R Ashwin broke that record. Prasanna retired from Test cricket after an unimpressive tour of Pakistan in 1978. Overall he played 49 Tests for India and took 189 wickets at an average of 30.38.
9. Sonny Ramadhin:
Sonny Ramadhin is one of the greatest bowlers in West Indies cricket history. He is the first player with an Indian origin to play for West Indies in international cricket. Ramadhin finished his Test career with 158 wickets with an average of 28.98 from 43 Tests. He had 10 five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket hauls. His economy rate of 1.97 is the second-best for any West Indian with 100 or more Test wickets. At the time of his retirement, he was also the highest wicket-taker for West Indies.
10. Hugh Tayfield:
One of the greatest spinners of all time, Hugh Tayfield played for South Africa in International cricket. He was also the fastest South African player to reach 100 wickets until Dale Steyn broke this record in 2008. During his playing career between 1949-50 and 1960, he took 170 wickets in Tests at an average 25.91 in 37 matches.
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