Top 10 Best Spinners in the World (2025 Ranked)

Bowling in modern-day cricket has been tough, and the best of bowlers have gone for runs, especially in the limited-overs format. However, even in the test, there is not much off-the-pitch movement that the bowlers get. Despite that, there have been bowlers who have given some tough times to the batters, considering their quality, hard work, and dedication towards the game of cricket. In this article, we dive into some of the best spinners in the world and how they have changed the dynamics of cricket through their spinning brilliance.

Top 10 Spinners in the World - Updated List

The best spinner in the world in cricket history are known for their ability to deceive batters with skilful and intelligent bowling. They use sharp turns, precise control, and new variations to make it hard for batters to predict the movement of the ball. These bowlers adapt to all types of pitches, whether dry, dusty, or hard, and often change the course of a match with their performance. In this article, we tried to answer the question of who is the best spinner in the world, and here are the top 10 spinners in the world.

10. Rangana Herath | Sri Lanka | Retired

Rangana Herath has been one of the finest left-arm spinners in the world. His name comes among the top 10 spinners in the world, also he has been the second-best spinner after Muttiah Muralidaran for Sri Lanka. He carried on the Sri Lankan spin bowling tradition. His subtle variations, amazing accuracy, and ability to capitalise on spin-friendly conditions made him a terror for batsmen. Herath's 433 Test wickets and multiple match-winning games cemented his spot on this elite list. Herath is the only left-arm spinner to pick 400+ wickets in the traditional format of the game. He is the oldest player to reach 350 as well as 400 Test wickets and the second Sri Lankan bowler to pick 400 Test wickets.

9. Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | Retired

Shahid Afridi, an all-rounder from Pakistan, is one of the best spinner in the world. He was known for his deceptive leg spin bowling, which troubled many batsmen and resulted in dismissals. He used to bowl with full strength and at proper line and length. In his international career, he has played 524 matches across the three formats of the game and has taken 541 wickets with a decent bowling average and his career best figures of 7/12 in ODIs. He was considered a fearless spinner who used to bowl against the greatest batsmen and even dismiss them. His fearless approach makes him one of the best spinner in the world.

8. Nathan Lyon | Australia

Nathan Lyon is one of the best off spinner in the world of modern-day cricket and one of the Best Test Bowlers in the World. His ability to turn and bounce the ball in Australian conditions makes him a great spinner. It is one of the toughest countries to bowl in for the spinner, and to become a spinner in Australia takes a lot of courage. He is the first off-spinner to pick 500 Test wickets. Lyon has etched his name in the history books of Australian cricket. He is the second Australian spinner to pick 500+ wickets in the longest format of the game. In 2017, he claimed 63 wickets in Tests, many of which came in the Asian contingent. This helped him to be on the list of the best spinners in the world.

7. Ravindra Jadeja | India

Ravindra Jadeja, one of the best all-rounders from India, is one of the best spinner in the world who is known for his deceptive and consistent bowling. He can bowl at a particular line and length throughout the match and is known for finishing the over at a speed that eventually puts pressure on the batsmen. In his international career, he has played over 350 matches across the three formats of the game, where he has taken 610 wickets with a very decent bowling average and his career best figures of 10/110 in test cricket. He is also one of the most economical bowlers for the Indian team, where he doesn't leak many runs in the middle overs and can take wickets efficiently.

6. Daniel Vettori | New Zealand | Retired

Daniel Vettori has been one of the best spinners in world cricket. The Kiwi cricketer was their best spinner of all time. He was the captain of the side for several years. Vettori has been known for his accuracy, variations, and all-around abilities. He was also a good lower-order batter for the side. He also excelled playing in various T20 leagues around the world. He has been a successful coach for the Australian side and the IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad. Vettori has played nearly 18 years of international cricket. He retired in 2015 with a sensational record of 362 Test wickets, including 20 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket matches. He also picked 305 wickets for the Black Caps in 295 ODI appearances. This lists him as one of the best spinners in the world.

5. Harbhajan Singh | India | Retired

Harbhajan Singh is one of the finest and best off spinner in the world. His off-spin bowling has helped the Indian team to win numerous matches from a difficult situation. Harbhajan has been a key figure in Indian cricket for many years for his aggressive bowling approach. The right-arm off-spinner had sharp turn and bounce, combined with a clever understanding of the game, which made him part of the top 10 spinners in the world of all time

His career has been exceptional, where he has played a total of 367 matches for the Indian team across all formats, in which he has taken 711 wickets. Bhajji has also taken 28 five-wicket hauls in his career, and he is also in the list of the Most Expensive Overs Bowled in Test Cricket.

4. Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Retired

Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the Richest Cricketer in the World, has been the best off spinner in the world currently, along with Nathan Lyon. Ashwin is currently playing for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. He has been one of the finest modern-day cricketers. The right-arm off-spinner recently retired from international cricket. His services for India have been unimaginable; he, along with Ravindra Jadeja, made the life of the batters difficult in the subcontinent nations.

His exceptional carrom ball bowling, which combines a typical off-spin that he gently changes with speed and flight, as well as a straight delivery, sets him apart. CSK legend Ashwin has had success in SENA countries as well. He has taken 537 Test wickets, with 37 five-wicket hauls and 8 ten-wicket matches. He is the fastest to reach 250, 300, and 350 Test wickets. He is the second Indian spinner after Anil Kumble to pick 500 wickets in the traditional format of the game. He took retirement from international cricket but left a legacy behind of being one of the best spinner in the world.

3. Anil Kumble | India | Retired

India has been he home of producing some of the greatest spinners in world cricket. It is difficult to pick the best spinners among them. However, Anil Kumble has been one of the finest leg-spinners for the Men in Blue. He is the only Indian spinner to pick 10 wickets in an innings and the second bowler after Jim Laker to achieve this milestone. The right-arm leg spinner did not turn the ball like other spinners, but he was brilliant with his accuracy and pace. ‘Jumbo,’ as called by his teammates, is the highest wicket-taker for India in Test match cricket; he has picked 619 wickets for the side. This makes him the best leg spinner in the world after Shane Warne. This ranks him among the best spinners in the world and one of the Best ODI Bowlers.

2. Shane Warne | Australia | Retired

Shane Warne is known as the best leg spinner in the world of all time and the Best Australian Bowler. The right-arm leg spinner was the first player to pick 700 test wickets. He revolutionised cricket thinking with his mastery of leg spin. He played cricket for nearly 15 years for the Kangaroos and was featured in 145 test matches for the 6-time ODI World Cup winners. His ball against Mike Gatting, which turned from the leg stump to clip the top of the off stump, was regarded as the ball of the century. He is among the best spinner in the world. Warne has the record for picking the most wickets in a calendar year. He picked 96 wickets in 2005 and surpassed the great Dennis Lillee's record. In his career, he picked up 708 test wickets and 293 ODI wickets. Warne created horror in the batter's head during his prime days; he also led the Rajasthan Royals to their only IPL title.

1. Muttiah Muralitharan| Sri Lanka | Retired

Muttiah Muralitharan is the best spinner in the world of all time and one of the Best Cricketers in the World. He has been the greatest ever bowler for Sri Lanka and led the side to many match-winning performances. He broke the record of Shane Warne's 708 wickets in test matches in 2007 to become the highest wicket-taker in the traditional format of the game. Muttiah Muralitharan held the number one spot in the International Cricket Council's player rankings for Test bowlers for a record period of 1,711 days spanning 214 Test matches. The right-arm off-spinner picked 800 wickets in the toughest format of the game and mastered the doosra, which helped him to dismiss the greatest batters of his generation. This is the reason he ranks as the best spinner in the world.

Who is the Best Off-Spinner in the World of All Time?

Muttiah Muralidaran is the best off-spinner in the world of all time. Representing Sri Lanka from 1992 to 2011, he holds the record for the highest number of wickets in Test matches, with 800 wickets to his name. He also took 534 wickets in ODIs and 13 in T20Is, giving him a total of 1,347 international wickets. Famous for his distinctive bowling style and exceptional spin, Muralitharan combined pinpoint accuracy with clever variations, making him very difficult for batsmen to face. His 67 five-wicket hauls in Tests highlight his ability to change the course of a game on his own.

In test cricket in the subcontinent, the spinners get some value as the ball turns and grips in the traditional format. India has dominated their home soil over the years with spin tracks. Even the greatest spinners had tough times. There are tracks in limited-overs format that have grip and turn, with the spinners getting assistance from the wickets.

Top 10 World Best Spinner Currently Playing

In modern-day cricket, where batsmen rule the world of cricket and smash the bowlers around the park, spinners are always targeted to score big runs. But these days, spinners bowl with more courage than before, as they concede runs but take regular wickets also. Here is the list of the top 10 world best spinner currently playing and ruling the spinner world, including players like Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, and even Adam Zampa.

How We Ranked Best Spinners in the World

The ranking has been done based on specific factors to ensure that all the best spinner in the world are evaluated fairly to find out the answer to the question, who is the best spinner in the world of all time.

• ICC Test Bowling Rankings: The ICC Test bowling rankings are the rankings of the bowlers by the ICC according to the players' performance in test cricket. This tells us about the overall performance of the bowler in the longest format of the game, where spinner plays an important role, where they are tested with patience and consistent bowling.
• ICC ODI Bowling Rankings: The ICC ODI bowling rankings are also the rankings of the bowlers by the ICC to understand players' performance in ODI cricket. This helps in understanding the level of players' game in white-ball cricket, as well as how well they bowl in the middle over and take wickets.
• Bowling Average (Runs per Wicket): Measures efficiency, how many runs a bowler concedes for each wicket taken. A lower average suggests a spinner is more effective at dismissing batsmen without leaking runs.
• Big match performances: The big match performances tell us about the performance of the player in the key and important matches, which helps us understand how well the player comes forward to put a match-winning spell. This shows that the spinner can lead the bowling attack and show impact performance in the big matches like finals, ICC tournaments, or even knockout games.
• Format Specialisation: Assesses how well a spinner adapts to the demands of each format. Some spinners are dominant in Test cricket due to their ability to bowl long, strategic spells. Others thrive in T20Is or ODIs, where variation, accuracy, and pressure-handling are key. Versatile spinners who perform across all formats are rated higher for their adaptability.