Current Top 10 Indian Spinners

Conditions in the Indian subcontinent always support spin bowling and we will look at the current top 10 Indian spinners. Indians have had their share in that list of legendary spinners which includes Anil Kumble, Bedi, Prasanna etc. We had a chance to look into the Indian All Time Spinners XI earlier. But how does the future of Indian spin department look? Here, let’s look into some the prospective spinners who are currently playing and can try to enter this list some years later.

10. Shadab Jakati

The left-arm spinner from Goa, Shadab Jakati is the 10th in the list of promising upcoming spinners. He announced himself to the cricket arena by claiming four-wicket hauls in back-to-back games playing for Chennai Super Kings in 2009. He was key to CSK’s winning campaign before moving to RCB this year. In Ranji Trophy, he scalped 30 wickets in 8 matches last season.

9. Shahbaz Nadeem

Another left-arm spinner in our list of promising spinners. Shahbaz Nadeem plays for the Double Ds (Delhi Daredevils) in the IPL and represents Jharkhand in the domestic circuit. He has had a wonderful last two seasons in the Ranji Trophy. In first-class matches, he has picked up 166 wickets in 50 odd matches.

8. Parvez Rasool

Rasool is a young off-break bowler from the politically troubled Jammu & Kashmir. He is the first cricketer to be part of the Indian National Team from the land of lakes and snows. He was also the first J & K cricketer to sign an IPL contract. Apart from a bowler, he is a capable batsman and averages over 40 in first-class matches. He was also the leading run-scorer and leading wicket taker for Jammu & Kashmir in 2012-13 season.

Parvez Rasool

7. Akshar Patel

Another potential all-rounder for India, Akshar Patel is a handy left-arm spinner and a skillful lower order batsman. He was one of the consistent performers for Gujarat in the latest Ranji Trophy season, scoring 369 runs and has picked 29 wickets as well. He was also the BCCI U-19 cricketer for the year 2012-13. His all-round performance for the King XI Punjab this IPL has earned him a call for the national duty for the tour to Bangladesh.

Akshar Patel – All Rounder – Earning his place in Indian Team

6. Jalaj Saxena

Jalaj Saxena is a promising talent who plays for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic circuit. He chopped down 35 wickets in 8 matches in the recent Ranji trophy with three 5-wicket and two 10-wicket hauls. Mumbai Indians have signed him for IPL for the last two seasons, but Saxena has to remain warming the benches throughout the tournament.

5. Pragyan Ojha

India’s front-line spinner a year ago has lost his place to Ravindra Jadeja in the recent times. He earned his place in the Indian team after some spectacular show in the initial editions of the Indian Premier League for the Deccan Chargers. He has had some noteworthy partnerships with R Ashwin in Test matches with both bowlers complementing each other always. Ojha, known for his flight, is very economical and has taken 113 wickets in 24 Test matches in which he has represented India.

4. Amit Mishra

Probably India’s best leg-spinner after the departure of Anil Kumble, Amit Mishra is a very handy leg-spinner when the conditions suit spin bowling. Because of his variations in bowling and very good googly which is very effective, he earns a place ahead of Pragyan Ojha. He was the key spinner for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2013 but could not make a good impression in this year’s T20 festival.

3. Harbhajan Singh

Turbanator, the first Indian to take a Test hat-trick is still finding it hard to make a come-back into the national side. With 413 wickets in 101 matches, you will always find a bowler at the top of the list on any side. But his poor form for the last three years even in the domestic stage and his controversies over the issues like slapping Sreesanth, racial insult with Andrew Symonds had made him to move to No. 3.

2. Ravindra Jadeja

India’s leading left-arm spinner in the last year or two, Sir Ravindra Jadeja also holds the feat of scoring three triple tons. He has made Michael Clarke as his bunny by picking him five times in 6 innings in the recent Test matches with Australia. Named as Rockstar by his captain Shane Warne in the initial edition of IPL, has really been a rockstar with his performances for India with bat, ball and in the field.

R Ashwin – a wily off-spinner, incredible with his variations

1. Ravichandran Ashwin

The tall off-spinner, who took the Carrom ball (which he calls the soduku ball) from the streets of Chennai to the International arena, is India’s front-runner in the spin department in the recent years. His consistent and economic spells in T20 earned him a place in the national side and he has lived up to the expectations. He took nine wickets in his first Test match, the most after Narendra Hirwani’s 16 and won the Man of the match award too. He is the fastest Indian to scalp 100 wickets in Test cricket and has also got nine 5-fors in his first 16 Test matches. However, the first Indian to exploit the Carrom ball is yet to deliver for India outside the subcontinent and is surely a bowler to watch out for in the tour to England.