Cricket
Who is the Best Player of Spin in Test Cricket History?
Spin bowlers offer a fascinating dimension in Test cricket . Wily and unpredictable, their subtle variations on turning pitches induces the batsman into playing false shots, with the hope of trapping them lbw or forcing a catch at short leg. However, some batters have proved to more than equal to the task, making light work of the spinners. They have been commanding at their crease and exhibited strong footwork to win the enduring mental battle. Among the legendary top players of spin bowling we’ve examined are Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, and Younis Khan.
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But who was the best? We have trawled through the Test cricket spin batting records and blended the raw data with expert opinions to reach an unequivocal answer to this question.
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Masters of Spin
This evaluation of the greatest batsmen against spin combines a detailed statistical analysis of their bowling with expert and media perceptions to provide a comprehensive ranking. Fusing these elements heralded the ‘SB Market Index’, a bespoke model that produced transparent results which were easy to interpret.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from the top 10 cricketing and sports media sources measures how prominently each player is featured in discussions of the “greatest players of spin bowling of all time”.
| Source Name | R Dravid | JH Kallis | Younis Khan | RT Ponting | BC Lara |
| ESPNcricinfo – “The Spin Slayers” feature | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Wisden – “Mastering the Turning Ball” analysis | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cricbuzz – “Debating the Best Players of Spin” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sky Sports – “Cricket’s Spin Maestros” (Batting) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| The Guardian – “Art of Playing Spin” retrospectives | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cricket.com.au – “Ponting’s Struggles, Lara’s Genius” | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Reddit r/Cricket – “Best Player of Spin” Poll | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sportskeeda – “5 Batsmen Who Dominated Spin Bowling” | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| The Cricketer – “Technique Against Turn” discussion | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| talkSPORT – “Cricket’s Most Complete Batsmen” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 9 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 10 |
SB Score
| Player | Runs vs. Spin | Average vs. Spin | Strike Rate vs. Spin | SB Score |
| R Dravid | 3,460 | 84.39 | 51.36 | 1.000 |
| Younis Khan | 4,436 | 75.19 | 58.92 | 0.991 |
| JH Kallis | 3,711 | 80.67 | 52.92 | 0.982 |
| BC Lara | 1,768 | 73.67 | 68.58 | 0.781 |
| RT Ponting | 3,506 | 74.60 | 56.97 | 0.916 |
This score is calculated based on three key career metrics against spin bowling: Batting Average (50% weightage), Total Runs Scored (30% weightage) and Strike Rate (20% weightage).
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | BC Lara | 0.781 | 10 | 8.156 |
| 2 | R Dravid | 1.000 | 9 | 7.400 |
| 3 | Younis Khan | 0.991 | 9 | 7.398 |
| 4 | JH Kallis | 0.982 | 5 | 4.196 |
| 5 | RT Ponting | 0.916 | 3 | 2.583 |
The Artists at the Crease: Lara, Dravid, and Younis Khan
A swashbuckling player, Brian Lara’s footwork against spin was sensational. With his wide stance, the West Indian, widely considered one of the best cricketers in the history of the game, outmanoeuvred spinners with his stylish array of shots. His score was driven by the affection he received from the industry experts, and he topped our standings.
Despite being known as “The Wall’ during his career, Rahul Dravid playing spin was mesmerising. Renowned for his impeccable technique and stout defence, Dravid played one of the most memorable Test innings against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001, where he notched up 180 off 353 balls, neutralising the threat of the late Shane Warne, who reignited the art of leg spin. A perfect ‘SB Score’ was accompanied by strong support from the industry experts.
Meanwhile, Younis Khan’s sweep shot was effortless, making him a spin destroyer. He might not have always been the most fluid, but he was committed at the crease, picking up lines well. His statistical dominance against spin with an average of over 75 was sublime, and he combined a strong ‘SB Score’ with an impactful ‘Industry Insights’ rating.
The All-Surface Masters: Kallis and Ponting
Jacques Kallis’ all-round ability for South Africa was exceptional, and his wicket was always prized. He shone on the sub-continent against India, and he was always on the front foot against spin. A calm technician, Kallis never seemed flustered, and while his volume of runs speaks for itself, this didn’t carry over into his ‘Industry Insights’ score.
As one of Australia’s best batsmen ever, Ricky Ponting combatted spin well. Okay, there was the Ashes series dismissal in 2009 against Graeme Swann where he was outfoxed, but Ponting was generally aggressive, putting his cover drive to good use. Ponting’s superb ‘SB Score’ propped him up in the ‘SB Market Index’
The Different Approaches to Mastering Spin
There is more than one way to neutralise spin. Lara, who is one of the best players of spin in Test cricket, made full use of the crease with his nimble footwork, often bludgeoning the bowlers.
Dravid, on the other hand, took the more scenic route before capitalising on loose deliveries, while Khan’s trademark sweep shot helped him accumulate runs quickly.
Kallis and Ponting, meanwhile, were uncompromising with their power-based games, which ultimately planted seeds of doubt in the minds of the spinners.
Conclusion on the Ultimate Masters of Spin
In summary, our in-depth model, which heavily leaned into expert perceptions, crowned Brian Lara as the greatest player of spin. His demonstrative approach made him a thorn in the side of the spin bowler, dispatching them with consummate ease.
The best players of spin in Test cricket shared many of the same characteristics, namely their ability to exhibit an exquisite range of skills, as well as showing sufficient mental strength when required.
Although pitting the records of Dravid vs Lara and Lara vs Kallis against the spinners was a fun exercise, the players mentioned in this guide should be celebrated for their remarkable scoring feats, and they were a nightmare for spinners.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.