10 Best Spin Bowlers in Cricket History, Ranked

The presence of a great spinner can have a significant impact on the cricket betting markets at the BetMGM online sportsbook. 

Whether controlling the run rate in a white-ball match or ripping through the opposing batting lineup in the fourth innings, the best spin bowlers in cricket history have given their teams a considerable advantage.

Greatest Cricket Spin Bowlers 

1. Shane Warne

There really is no comparison to Shane Warne. His mediocre record in India is the only possible criticism. 

He was dominant everywhere else. Unlike most leg spinners, he could control the run rate and pick up occasional wickets when conditions weren’t favourable. Capable of generating turn on any surface, Warne had variations, control, and a competitive spirit which made him the best spin bowler. 

2. Muttiah Muralitharan

No bowler has more wickets in international cricket than Muttiah Muralitharan. Critics will always question the legitimacy of Muralitharan’s success, despite the Sri Lankan overcoming numerous rounds of bowling action testing. 

Able to generate massive spin in both directions, very few batters were ever able to pick Muralitharan’s variations. Even if they could, it didn’t mean they could play it.

3. Jim Laker

Jim Laker has the best bowling average of any bowler to play over 45 Test matches. He holds the world record for the best bowling figures in a Test match with 19-90 in 1956. 

Benefiting from uncovered pitches, Laker was often unplayable with inconsistent bounce and turn. 

4. Ravichandran Ashwin

Just as Warne was less effective in India, Ravichandran Ashwin’s record in Australia and South Africa was miles off his 21.76 average in Asia.

Committed to always working on his craft, Ashwin paired a carrom ball and a deceptive arm ball with nagging off-spinners. No bowler in Test history has reached the 300-wicket mark quicker. 

5. Anil Kumble

Just three bowlers have more Test wickets than Anil Kumble. Tall and with a high action, Kumble relied on pace and bounce rather than spin. 

His durability was impressive, particularly as he spent much of his career toiling on flat Indian pitches.

6. Derek Underwood

Taking 297 wickets in 86 Tests, Derek Underwood bowled flat, left-arm orthodox spin. His peers described his pace as being more like a medium pacer. 

Underwood often bowled on uncovered pitches, which offered natural variation. Often bowling around the wicket to right-handers, he only needed minimal movement to create chances. 

7. Bill O’Reilly

Bill O’Reilly only played 27 Test matches. He took 144 wickets at a better average than Muralitharan and was named by Don Bradman as the greatest bowler he had ever faced or watched.

The 1930s were a golden age of batting, which makes O’Reilly’s achievements even more impressive. 

Getting bounce out of hard pitches and possessing several variations, he bowled at pace and was notoriously difficult to score runs off.

8. Abdul Qadir

Spending the majority of his career bowling on flat sub-continental pitches, Abdul Qadir’s career numbers aren’t as impressive as many others on this list. 

His peers rated him incredibly highly, however, and he took 371 international wickets. Many great batters were left bamboozled. 

9. Harbhajan Singh

I would have ranked Harbhajan Singh higher on this list if he had a better record outside of India. 

Harbhajan, with his unique run-up and trademark arm-waving in his action, was an entertaining bowler to watch, who generated impressive bounce for an off-spinner. 

10. Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq changed the course of spin bowling. Credited as the inventor of the doosra among other deliveries, Saqlain was the first finger spinner to be able to spin the ball both ways. 

Despite being more successful in ODIs than Tests, his influence on spin bowling cannot be overstated. 

Who Is the Greatest Spin Bowler of All Time?

Shane Warne, the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, is the greatest spin bowler of all time.