Today we take a look at the top spinners with most wickets in Test cricket. India's Ravichandran Ashwin reached a 500-wicket landmark when he dismissed Zak Crawley in the ongoing Test match versus England at Rajkot. But where does he stand on the list of spinners with the most wickets in the longer format of the game?
Cricket has a rich history of bowlers spinning their web around the batters. From Lance Gibbs and Derek Underwood of the 1960s & 1970s to Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralidaran of the 1990s to the current generation stars Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon, the game has seen prolific wicket-takers. So here is a list of spinners with the most wickets in Tests.
IND vs ENG: Ravichandran Ashwin withdraws from Rajkot Test
Contents
List of spinners with most wickets in Test Cricket
Player | Mat | Wkts | Ave | SR | BBI | 5wk | Span |
Muthiah Muralidaran | 133 | 800 | 22.72 | 55.04 | 9/51 | 67 | 1992-2010 |
Shane Warne | 145 | 708 | 25.41 | 57.49 | 8/71 | 37 | 1992-2007 |
Anil Kumble | 132 | 619 | 29.65 | 65.99 | 10/74 | 35 | 1990-2008 |
Nathan Lyon | 127 | 517 | 30.73 | 62.74 | 8/50 | 23 | 2011-2024 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | 98* | 500 | 23.94 | 51.49 | 7/59 | 34 | 2011-2024 |
Rangana Herath | 93 | 433 | 28.07 | 60.03 | 9/127 | 34 | 1999-2018 |
Harbhajan Singh | 103 | 417 | 32.46 | 68.53 | 8/84 | 25 | 1998-2015 |
Daniel Vettori | 113 | 362 | 34.36 | 79.59 | 7/87 | 20 | 1997-2014 |
Lance Gibbs | 79 | 309 | 29.09 | 87.75 | 8/38 | 18 | 1958-1976 |
Derek Underwood | 86 | 297 | 25.83 | 73.6 | 8/51 | 17 | 1966-1982 |
Muthiah Muralidaran
The spin wizard from Sri Lanka sits at the top of the list of spinners with most wickets in Test cricket not just by a spinner but all types. Muthiah Muralidaran was an integral part of Sri Lanka being one of the toughest teams to face during his career, which lasted from 1992 to 2010.
Muralidaran played 133 Test matches for Sri Lanka and finished with 800 wickets at an average of 22.72. He has the best average amongst spinners with more than 200 wickets. The off-spinner has a record number of five-wicket hauls, doing it in 67 innings.
Shane Warne
The King of Spin, Shane Warne is regarded as the greatest spinner to ever play the game. The late Aussie great was a key figure in Australia's dominance for a couple of decades. Warne is second on the list of all-time wicket-takers in Test cricket with 708 scalps from 145 matches for Australia.
Warne made his debut in 1992 and retired after the 2007 ashes. He averaged 25.41 runs per wicket in the format and took 37 five-wicket hauls.
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble was a force to reckon with when he had the ball in his hand. The speed, bounce and accuracy made the leg-spinner a big threat for batters. Kumble represented India in 132 Tests in a career that spanned from 1990 to 2008.
Kumble claimed 619 wickets in his Test career at an average of 29.65 with 35 five-wicket hauls. The Indian leg-spinner is one of the only three bowlers ever to pick all 10 wickets in an innings, having achieved the feat against Pakistan in 1999.
Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon occupies the fourth spot on the list of spinners with most wickets in Test cricket. They call him the GOAT – the greatest off-spinner of all time in Australian cricket. Since making his debut in 2011, Lyon has played 127 matches in baggy green and has snared 517 wickets at an average of 30.73. Lyon has taken 23 five-fors in his career and has several impactful performances in the subcontinent as well.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin will go down in history as the greatest spinner India has produced. The off-spinner has been at the forefront of India's dominance at home in the last decade. He made his debut in 2011 and has played 98 Tests including the ongoing game against England.
Ashwin has taken 500 wickets at an average of 23.94, with 34 five-wicket hauls. He has the best strike rate amongst the top 10 spinners with most wickets in Tests.
Rangana Herath
Rangana Herath was a pretty good support act to Muralidaran before taking over the reins and doing a stellar job as Sri Lanka’s premier bowler. The left-arm orthodox spinner played 93 Tests from 1999 to 2018, taking 433 wickets at an average of 28.07. Herath picked 34 five-wicket hauls in his career.
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh was the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. He achieved this feat during the 2001 series against Australia, where he claimed 32 wickets in the series. Harbhajan Singh played 103 Tests for India in his career which spanned from 1998 to 2015. He snared 417 wickets at 32.46 runs apiece. Harbhajan Singh took 25 five-fors in his Test career.
Daniel Vettori
The New Zealand all-rounder with crafty left-arm orthodox spin was a valuable asset to his side for the majority of his career. Daniel Vettori represented the Black Caps in 113 Tests from 1997 to 2014. He picked 362 wickets at 34.36 average with 20 five-wicket hauls. Vettori is one of the few players to have scored 3000 runs and picked 300 wickets in his Test career.
Lance Gibbs
Lance Gibbs was the first-ever spinner to cross the 300-wicket barrier in Test cricket. Playing for the West Indies from 1958 to 1976, Gibbs was known for his accuracy, sharp spin and bounce. He played 79 Test matches in his career and picked 309 wickets at an average of 29.09. The right-arm off-break bowler claimed 18 five-fors, with best innings figures of 8 for 38.
Derek Underwood
Derek Underwood is considered one of the best spinners of all time. He had impeccable accuracy, the smarts to vary his pace to great effect and he could adapt to overseas pitches. The left-arm orthodox spinner took 297 wickets from 86 Tests for England, averaging 25.83 and snaring 17 five-wicket hauls.