The 5 most prolific left-arm spinners in the history of Test cricket

As many as 114 wickets in 30 Test innings fell to left-arm spinners in the three recent Test series from the period of early October to early November 2024.

If you’ve been watching Test cricket recently, you may have noticed a trend of left-arm spinners cleaning up some high-quality batting attacks.

Two of the top three wicket-takers in all of the Pakistan vs England, Bangladesh vs South Africa and India vs New Zealand Test series were left-arm spinners.

But who are the most prolific left-arm spinners in the history of the longest format of the international game?

5. Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori was New Zealand’s youngest Test cricketer and developed into one of the game’s most dependable all-rounders. He was the youngest man to take 100 Test wickets at the age of 21.

A thoughtful left-arm spinner, Vettori’s strength lay in his subtle variation and control rather than pure spin. Vettori was the first left-arm spin bowler to take more than 300 wickets in both Test matches and ODIs.

Given the typical nature of pitches in New Zealand, he would often be operating on pitches that offered minimal assistance to spinners. His high cricketing IQ and unselfish approach made him a respected figure in New Zealand cricket and a beloved international competitor. His final Test record of 362 Test wickets is not too shabby either.

4. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is arguably the best current left-arm spinner in Tests. With his tight lines and lengths, he rarely alllows batters score freely. He has three ten-wicket hauls and 15 five-wicket hauls to his Test record.

His rise in international cricket has been marked by consistent performances, especially on subcontinental pitches where he exploits turn and bounce. Jadeja’s athleticism in the field and ability to add valuable runs lower down the order make him an invaluable all-round asset to the Indian team too.

He is one of the most reliable left-arm spinners in the modern era with 319 Test wickets. The scary part is that the all-rounder still has time to improve his impressive Test record.

Read more: How Ajaz Patel ranks among Ian Botham and Shane Warne after NZ sweep India 3-0

3. Bishan Singh Bedi

Bishan Singh Bedi, part of India’s renowned spin quartet, brought artistry to left-arm spin with his graceful action and flighted deliveries.

Renowned for his control and the deceptive loop he generated, Bedi’s bowling appeared effortless but required immense skill.

Over 67 Tests, he claimed 266 wickets. Bedi’s integrity and sportsmanship were as celebrated as his skills and has become an icon in Indian cricket history. His approach to spin bowling inspired generations.

He remains a revered figure for his contributions to the game. Bedi was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, in 1970.

2. Derek Underwood

Derek Underwood, known as ‘Deadly’, earned a fearsome reputation in the late 1960s and 70s as one of England’s most reliable Test wicket-takers.

Underwood’s bowling style relied on accuracy and a relentless, flat trajectory that was difficult to attack. He was especially lethal in the English damp conditions where his deliveries would skid sharply off the pitch.

Underwood took 297 wickets over 86 Tests and became an integral part of England’s Test bowling attack. His unique approach made him stand out among spinners. His efficiency on sticky wickets earned him legendary status in English and world cricket.

He was also president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2008.

1. Rangana Herath

Stepping up after Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement, Herath shouldered the spin-bowling burden with incredible consistency. His mastery of flight, drift and subtle variations allowed him to dismantle batting lineups on the turning tracks of his Sri Lanka home conditions.

Often working without much pace or bounce, Herath relied on accuracy and mental strength to outfox batters.

He finished his Test career with 433 wickets at a commendable average, but incredibly took nine ten-wicket match hauls and 34 five-wicket hauls in an innings.

His influence locally and internationally set a new benchmark for left-arm spinners in Test cricket.

Read next: Who are the leading run-scorers among active Test cricketers?

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Who are the leading run-scorers among ACTIVE Test cricketers?

The list of leading run-scorers in the history of Test cricket is lined with players who have since retired.

It’s well worth noting which batters are still playing the longest format of the international game – and their status among those who have since called it a day.

5. Angelo Mathews

Sitting in 36th position among Test cricket’s leading run-scorers – and fifth among those still playing the format – is the Sri Lankan all-rounder. Well, let’s call him a batter for now, as injury continues to limit his role with the ball.

Mathews has been playing Test cricket since 2009 and despite, several stints on the sidelines due to various injuries, has collected more Test runs than former England batters Mike Atherton and Ian Bell – and is closing in on Australia’s Mark Waugh and England’s Kevin Pietersen.

4. Kane Williamson

Another batter prone to injury and periods out of action due to injury is the former New Zealand captain. Williamson has made a name for himself as somewhat of a hunter and gatherer of runs rather than for flashy innings laced with boundaries.

He recently reached 100 Test caps and is nearing 9,000 runs in the format. His conversion rate is outstanding – 32 centuries to 35 half-tons. Those impressive numbers make it entirely understandable why he is among this illustrious top five.

3. Virat Kohli

The Indian talisman has Williamson hot on his heels. They’re only separated by former England captain Graham Gooch. Kohli’s prowess with the bat has arguably been empowered since he gave up the Test captaincy.

Many will remember for decades to come for his superb stretch of form in ODI cricket, but his Test numbers are to be heralded for a long time as well. Kohli is about 1,000 shy at the moment, but is effectively looking to become only the 15th batter in the history of Test cricket to reach 10,000 runs.

2. Steven Smith

Smith’s move to the top of Australia’s Test batting order in the wake of David Warner’s exit didn’t really work. It has since been made known that he will return to the middle order, which has been a prolific home for him since the leg spinner-turned-batter started playing international cricket in 2010.

Many of his most famous innings, of course, have come against arch rivals England during the fabled Ashes series. Smith is as animated as they come in his flamboyant leaves and extravagant drives. He is also nearing 10,000 Test runs – and has Pakistan’s Younis Khan and India’s Sunil Gavaskar in his sights.

1. Joe Root

Leading this blockbuster list is the England kingpin. Yet another former captain still playing the game and batting opposition bowling attacks into the ground, Root recently became his country’s top run-scorer in Test cricket.

The great Alastair Cook is now second to Root. In England’s so-called ‘Bazball era’, Root is happy to stick to what he knows best and hasn’t necessarily adapted his shot selection and stroke play to the fad. That said, we do love it when he whips out reverse hits and switch hits against seamers. These shots are usually reserved for T20I cricket, but not for Root evidently.

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Pakistan’s first bilateral ODI series in Australia in 7 years – 6 things YOU need to know

Pakistan will soon start their first bilateral ODI series in Australia since 2017. What happened the last time the rivals met in the intermediate format of the international game seven years ago?

David Warner v Hasan Ali

Australia took an early series lead in Brisbane before Pakistan hit back to level proceedings in Melbourne. But that was the tourists’ first and last win of the series, as the Aussies levelled up in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide to complete a four-one scoreline. David Warner scored the most runs in the series with 367 in five innings and Hasan Ali’s tally of 12 was the most wickets in the series.

The first-innings totals got progressively bigger from the second ODI and, at the end of the series, six centuries had been hit. Warner collected two and Travis Head, Babar Azam, Steven Smith and Matthew Wade one each. That was Wade’s first and last century in ODI cricket. He recently announced his retirement from international cricket.

Personnel differences

Australia debuted Billy Stanlake, Chris Lynn and Peter Handscomb in ODI cricket during the series. Seven years later, Stanlake, Lynn and Handscomb’s careers have not progressed well enough for them to be deemed solid enough for selection for this series. Stanlake, in fact, has only collected six more ODI since that 2017 debut.

Pakistan won’t have coach Gary Kirsten for this series. He resigned recently, effectively forcing the Pakistan Cricket Board to push Test coach Jason Gillespie into the limited-overs role in Australia. Mohammad Rizwan, meanwhile, has succeeded Babar Azam as ODI captain. It’s pretty much all change among Pakistan’s leadership again.

Australia won’t have Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green and Head for this series. That’s quite a challenge for their batting ranks, but plenty of opportunity for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie and others to step up. Marcus Stoinis is back in the ODI fold. He can add a lot of value with bat and ball in the absence of Green.

The bigger picture

Both teams are effectively preparing for the next Champions Trophy, which will be played early next year. Pakistan will host the competition in 2025, while Australia are the most successful team in the history of the tournament with two titles. This preceding bilateral series, then, should act as an interesting teaser for what is to come next year.

 

 

 

 

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HOW Ajaz Patel ranks among Ian Botham and Shane Warne after NZ sweep India 3-0

New Zealand completed an historic three-nil Test series win over India in India this week. The final fixture and the series overall yielded several interesting statistics.

Ajaz Patel right up there with Shane Warne and Ian Botham

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel has now taken 85 wickets in his first 21 Tests. Incredibly, he has not taken one in New Zealand. The 11 he took in Mumbai recently took him to 32 Test wickets in India. He has also taken 14 in Bangladesh, four in England, 17 in Sri Lanka – and 18 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The Wankhede Stadium has been a successful hunting ground for Patel. He has taken 25 Test wickets at this venue – the most by any bowler against India, in India. England’s Ian Botham held the record previously with 22. Patel has also become one of eight bowlers to take two Test 10-fors at an away venue. The illustrious list includes Shane Warne, who took two 10-fors at The Oval in London.

Tough year at the office for Rohit Sharma

Captain Rohit Sharma is averaging a mere 13.3 after 10 Test innings during India’s current home season. This is among the lowest ever for a captain across a home Test season – with a qualifier of an eight-innings minimum and position among the top seven batters. In 2000, England’s Nasser Hussain averaged just 10.22 across six home Tests. Sharma  has collected five home Test defeats this year.

“Something like this will be a very low point in my career, you know, having lost three games at home. And, yes, we, I fully take the responsibility for that as a captain and as a leader as well. I have not been at the best of my abilities right from the start of the series. And yeah, with the bat as well, I’ve not been good enough,” said Sharma.

Left-armers’ union

Ravindra Jadeja and Patel shared four five-wicket hauls in the third and final Test of the series in Mumbai. This is the first time two left-armers – spin or seam – have combined for this in the same Test. The previous southpaws to do this were Pakistan’s Iqbal Qasim and England’s Ray Bright in Karachi in 1980.

Black Caps, Whitewash

This is the first time the Black Caps have won three Tests in a series. India’s win-loss record while pursuing targets of 200 or less at home has moved to 31-1. This is also the first time they have lost a Test in Mumbai. They now have four losses in 10 home Tests in 2024. The last time they collected this many home Test defeats was in 1969.

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West Indies vs England, second ODI: Score and latest updates from Antigua

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Who are the leading run-scorers among ACTIVE Test cricketers?

The list of leading run-scorers in the history of Test cricket is lined with players who have since retired.

It’s well worth noting which batters are still playing the longest format of the international game – and their status among those who have since called it a day.

5. Angelo Mathews

Sitting in 36th position among Test cricket’s leading run-scorers – and fifth among those still playing the format – is the Sri Lankan all-rounder. Well, let’s call him a batter for now, as injury continues to limit his role with the ball.

Mathews has been playing Test cricket since 2009 and despite, several stints on the sidelines due to various injuries, has collected more Test runs than former England batters Mike Atherton and Ian Bell – and is closing in on Australia’s Mark Waugh and England’s Kevin Pietersen.

4. Kane Williamson

Another batter prone to injury and periods out of action due to injury is the former New Zealand captain. Williamson has made a name for himself as somewhat of a hunter and gatherer of runs rather than for flashy innings laced with boundaries.

He recently reached 100 Test caps and is nearing 9,000 runs in the format. His conversion rate is outstanding – 32 centuries to 35 half-tons. Those impressive numbers make it entirely understandable why he is among this illustrious top five.

3. Virat Kohli

The Indian talisman has Williamson hot on his heels. They’re only separated by former England captain Graham Gooch. Kohli’s prowess with the bat has arguably been empowered since he gave up the Test captaincy.

Many will remember for decades to come for his superb stretch of form in ODI cricket, but his Test numbers are to be heralded for a long time as well. Kohli is about 1,000 shy at the moment, but is effectively looking to become only the 15th batter in the history of Test cricket to reach 10,000 runs.

2. Steven Smith

Smith’s move to the top of Australia’s Test batting order in the wake of David Warner’s exit didn’t really work. It has since been made known that he will return to the middle order, which has been a prolific home for him since the leg spinner-turned-batter started playing international cricket in 2010.

Many of his most famous innings, of course, have come against arch rivals England during the fabled Ashes series. Smith is as animated as they come in his flamboyant leaves and extravagant drives. He is also nearing 10,000 Test runs – and has Pakistan’s Younis Khan and India’s Sunil Gavaskar in his sights.

1. Joe Root

Leading this blockbuster list is the England kingpin. Yet another former captain still playing the game and batting opposition bowling attacks into the ground, Root recently became his country’s top run-scorer in Test cricket.

The great Alastair Cook is now second to Root. In England’s so-called ‘Bazball era’, Root is happy to stick to what he knows best and hasn’t necessarily adapted his shot selection and stroke play to the fad. That said, we do love it when he whips out reverse hits and switch hits against seamers. These shots are usually reserved for T20I cricket, but not for Root evidently.

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Ben Stokes reveals home was burgled by ‘masked’ gang while family were present

England captain Ben Stokes has appealed for information to find “masked” burglars who broke into his home while his wife and two children were present and stole his OBE among numerous other personal items.

Stokes was in Pakistan on England duty when his house in the Durham village of Castle Eden was broken into on the evening of October 17.

Describing the break-in on his personal X account, Stokes also posted pictures of items stolen from his home.

APPEAL On the evening of Thursday 17th October a number of masked people burgled my home in the Castle Eden area in the North East. They escaped with jewellery, other valuables and a good deal of personal items. Many of those items have real sentimental value for me and my…

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 30, 2024

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