Top 5 right-arm off spinners with 200+ Test wickets

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin broke into the 200 Test barrier when he trapped Kiwi skipper Ravichandran Ashwin right in front during the 1st Test at Kan

Australian Nathan Lyon became just the 5th right-arm off spinner to enter the 200 wicket club in Test cricket when he dismissed Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva for 36 during the 3rd day of the ongoing Test between Sri Lanka and Australia.

Over the years, there have been a number of off spinners who have added an extra dimension to their squads with their ability to take wickets at crucial junctures. From the most successful spinner in history Muttiah Muralitharan to the latest entrant to the 200 club, we take a look at 5 right-arm off spinners who have achieved the feat:

5) Nathan Lyon (Australia) Wickets – 211

Nathan Lyon’s story is one that needs to be told. In 2010, he had taken up a job as part of the ground staff at the Adelaide Oval. Fast forward one year, and after an impressive spell in first-class cricket, he was drafted into the Test setup of the Australian team. It bode well for the spinner that the Australians were still looking to truly replace Shane Warne, who had left a gaping hole for them to fill.

The man from New South Wales predominantly relies on flighting the ball and tempting the batsman into a mistake. He overtook Hugh Trumble’s tally of 141 Test wickets and has grown from there. At only 28, he has a number of years left in his career and can easily rise higher up in this list. His most impressive outing was against India in Adelaide in 2014, where a virtuoso display helped his side record a 48 run victory.

Stats:

Matches	Wickets	Average	Strike-rate	Best figures (Innings)
57	211	32.80	62.3	7/94

4) Ravichandran Ashwin (India) Wickets – 220

Ravichandran Ashwin has been on a remarkable run in Test cricket. In a fledgling Test career, he has already picked up 7 man-of-the-series trophies and is utterly dominant when bowling. He made his name in the IPL and his strong performances earned him a call-up to the national squad. He was a part of India’ s successful world cup campaign in 2011 but always found it tough to break into the Test setup. He earned his debut in November of 2011 against the West Indies and has been a permanent member since.

Ravichandran Ashwin is a deadly asset on the spin-friendly pitches in India, where he holds a remarkable record. He uses his height to his advantage and towers over other off-spinners. He has a number of variations and has a deadly doosra in his arsenal. He has excelled under the leadership of both Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Still only 30, he has a long way to go in his career.

Matches	Wickets	Average	Strike-rate	Best figures (innings)
39	220	24.29	49.4	7/59

3) Lance Gibbs (West Indies) Wickets – 309

Lance Gibbs was at the forefront of the art of off-spin and was one of the first true superstars in the spin department. His record speaks for himself, he was only the second bowler to breach the 300 wicket mark in Test cricket, notably, being the first spinner to do so. He was part of a West Indies setup that boasted of a number of quicks and proved to be the perfect foil to make it a complete bowling attack.

He had the ability to bowl long spells, battling pain, and fatigue to do a job for his team. He bowled at a time when runs were tougher to come by, but a career economy rate of 1.98 speaks for itself. His best performance came against the Indians where he bowled 53 overs, conceded 38 runs and took 8 wickets dismantling the opposition.

Stats:

Matches	Wickets	Average	Strike-rate	Best figures (Innings)
79	309	29.09	87.7	8/38

2) Harbhajan Singh (India) Wickets – 417

The larger-than-life character has his moment in the sun when he tormented the Australians in a historic Test match in Kolkata, where his 6 wickets in the final innings helped India record one of her finest wins in Test cricket history. It was a series that set him up for a long career in the limelight and also cemented his legacy as a match-winner and a force to be reckoned with.

He formed a deadly spin duo with Anil Kumble that proved to be the backbone of the Indian bowling attack for over a decade. Still, very much at large in the world of cricket, ’Bhajji’ will be hoping for a final swansong. While he doesn’t flight the ball too much, he varies his pace and lengths to baffle opponents and it has served him well over the years. His finest performance came against the Aussies in Chennai in 2001, where he took 15 wickets in the Test to help India secure a 2 wicket win.

Stats:

Matches	Wickets	Average	Strike-rate	Best figures (Innings)
103	417	32.46	68.5	8/84

1) Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) Wickets – 800

Numero Uno. At first glance, one might have dismissed Murali taking a look at his unorthodox action. But it was this action and the ability to turn the ball magnificently that made him the highest wicket-taker in Test history. An absolutely remarkable achievement considering the fact that his action was always the subjection of speculation. Murali came back fighting each time he was backed into a corner, even after he was prevented from bowling his doosra.

For 18 years, he was the ace in Sri Lanka’s pack and was used tirelessly to change the course of a game. His finest outing came against the English at the Oval in 1998 where he claimed 16 wickets in the game and an astonishing 9 – 65 in the second innings. The fact that this came at a time when Sri Lanka wasn’t considered among the top Test playing nations makes it all the more special.

Stats: