5 best players of spin from South Africa

#2 Gary Kirsten

He may be known more for having masterminded India's triumph in the 2011 World Cup but in his playing days, former South African batsman Gary Kirsten was one of the finest openers around and particularly good against spin bowling. One of Kirsten's most important attributes as a player of spin bowling was that he often allowed the ball to spin and then played his stroke, watching it all the way to the bat.

On the other hand, he had the cut and the sweep in his armoury as well, that made him a very difficult batsman to bowl to as far as spinners were concerned. He was consistently excellent against some of the leading spinners in the world and his record in the sub-continent is among the best by visiting batsmen.

Kirsten played 13 Tests in the sub-continent and never visited Bangladesh, which makes his average of 53.85 that much more significant. In addition to that, he made 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries in total during the course of 5 tours to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.