Top 5 mystery spinners of all time

Sunil Narine from West Indies has become a potent all-rounder
Sunil Narine from West Indies has become a potent all-rounder

Mystery spinners have always been in high demand, especially in the shortest format of the game. Varun Chakravarthy, an uncapped player of the same pedigree, was sold to the Kings XI Punjab during the 2019 IPL auction for a mind-boggling ₹ 8.40 crores.

What makes these spinners so attractive is their ability to bowl numerous variations. Be it a googly, a leg break, an off-break, a top spinner, a carrom ball, or for that matter a straight delivery - some of the mystery spinners can manage it all.

One just can not disagree that there is another level of excitement whenever a mystery spinner comes on to bowl during a match.

There have been various talented mystery spinners over the years who have bamboozled batsmen with their talent. Many of the finest batsmen are also seen struggling against them and are unable to pick them up.

While some feel mystery spinners are overrated, many experts are of the opinion that they act as trump cards during a match as they spin their web for batsmen - making batsmen go berserk in order to find out their techniques.

In this article, we do a countdown of the Top 5 most lethal mystery spinners of all time.


#5 Ajantha Mendis

Ajantha Mendis during Sri Lanka v Netherlands - ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014
Ajantha Mendis during Sri Lanka v Netherlands - ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014

Ajantha Mendis was one of the most feared spin bowlers in his prime. He was the one who stunned batsman with his carrom ball, deceived them with his leg breaks, and astonished them with top spinners. The 33-year-old from Moratuwa was really the complete package.

The Sri Lankan wizard picked up 26 wickets in his debut Test series. Indian legends such as VVS Laxman, Ganguly, and Dravid struggled against him.

However, as time progressed the mystery of Mendis unfolded. In the times of super-slow-motion and video analysts, the batsman were able to figure out how to play this once unplayable bowler. Mendis still has a decent career record -- 70 wickets in 19 Tests, 152 wickets in 87 ODIs with best figures of 6/13, and finally 66 wickets in 39 T20Is.

His figures of 6/8 during a T20I match against Zimbabwe remain one of the vintage bowling performances, and he is the only player besides Yuzvendra Chahal to pick up as many as 6 wickets in the shortest format of cricket. The unorthodox spinner also holds the record of being the fastest player to 50 wickets in ODIs.

#4 Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq (left) is currently a spin bowling consultant for the England national team
Saqlain Mushtaq (left) is currently a spin bowling consultant for the England national team

Saqlain Mushtaq was widely popular because of his 'doosra.' The Pakistani player was one of the prominent bowlers during the 90s when the quality of spinners was at its peak. Shane Warne and Anil Kumble were the leg-spinners around while Muttiah Muralitharan was the special off-spinner, who used his wrist during bowling.

Mushtaq holds the record for the fastest bowler to reach 150, 200 and 250 wickets in ODIs, respectively. Overall, the Lahore-born player played 49 Tests for Pakistan in which he picked up 208 wickets.

The right-arm off-break bowler also played 169 ODIs in which he picked up 288 wickets at a commendable average of 21.79 and economy rate of 4.29. The 42-year-old was impressive in his 194 first-class matches as well wherein he picked up 833 wickets.

Mushtaq was considered a brilliant death overs bowler due to the phenomenal control he possessed. The emergence of veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik cost his place in the national team otherwise he would certainly have gone on to play even more matches.

#3 BS Chandrasekhar

BS Chandrasekhar
BS Chandrasekhar

Bhagwat Subramanya Chandrasekhar was exceptional for India during his playing days. The Mysore-born spinner played a total of 58 tests for India and picked up 242 wickets at an average of 29.74.

The 73-year-old was India's go-to man whenever they were playing abroad. His ability to moderate the pace of the ball proved handy on the flat pitches abroad. Chandrasekhar is also known to have suffered from a polio attack in his childhood. However, he never let that come in the way of fulfilling his dream of making it big as a cricketer.

Some of the deliveries the veteran player bowled were just unplayable. He had a wide array of variations such as top spinners, leg breaks, googlies, and the famous medium-paced ball he bowled from the back of his hand using a whipping action.

With figures of 12 for 104 at Melbourne, the Indian spin maestro helped India clinch their first Test win in Australia. He also played alongside other legends of the game such as Bishen Singh Bedi, Venkatraghavan, and Prasanna.

A unique record of scoring fewer runs (167) with the bat than the wickets he picked up (242) in Tests is also held by him.

#2 Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal in action during Lancashire v Worcestershire - NatWest T20 Blast
Saeed Ajmal in action during Lancashire v Worcestershire - NatWest T20 Blast

Saeed Ajmal was a vital cog for the Men in Green in all three formats of the game. The Faisalabad-born player was just lethal with his doosra, which left the opposition batsmen overwhelmed.

The 41-year-old also possessed many variations and one could never predict how much flight and speed he would infuse to the ball. Even the best batsmen had trouble reading his deliveries. The joint 2nd highest wicket-taker during Pakistan's title-winning run at the 2009 World Twenty20, Ajmal had a prominent ODI career as well albeit he was a late bloomer in Tests.

Ajmal picked up 85 wickets in 64 T20Is at an economy rate of just 6.36; clinched 184 wickets in 113 ODIs at an economy rate of 4.18 and average 22.72. Finally, he had 178 scalps in the 35 Tests he played, a career in the longest format that included ten 5-wicket hauls and four 10-wicket hauls.

New Zealand v West Indies - Third Test: Day 3
New Zealand v West Indies - Third Test: Day 3

Sunil Narine is the best and the only active player on this list. Although he has had to work on his action in the last few years, the Trinidadian has recorded 21 wickets in six Tests, 92 wickets in 65 ODIs and a remarkable 50 wickets in 48 T20Is at a healthy economy of 6.02.

He has also worked on his batting in the past few years, and his 357 runs in 16 matches in the IPL are a testament of the same. That along with his bowling has emerged as a complete package for the Kolkata Kinght Riders.

In the cash-rich league, at an economy of just under 7 and average of 22.3, Narine has claimed 112 wickets in just 98 games.


Honorable mentions

Jack Iverson of Melbourne was another mystery spinner, probably one of the earliest to apply something close to a carrom ball. In 5 Tests, he picked up 21 wickets.

Sonny Ramadhin of West Indies should also get a mention in this article as his distinguished off-spin bowling helped him clinch 158 wickets in 43 Test Matches.

Bernard Bosanquet was widely known as the inventor of the googly. He picked up 25 wickets in the 7 Test matches while played for England, at the strike rate of 38.8 and average 24.16. He's another vicious talent who misses out from this list due to the limited experience of playing at the international level.

Ellis Edgar Achong and Thomas Robert McKibbin are also a few mystery spinners of the past and form our honorable mentions.


Who else do you think should be part of this list? Shoot off your opinions in the comments section below.

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Edited by Akarshak (Ishu) Roy