Top 15 ODI Spin Bowlers Against Top Teams

Our One Day International (ODI) ratings take into account all matches from the first ODI match on January 5, 1971 till the below mentioned last update date. Most of our ratings are dynamic, and as new matches are played, the rating of earlier bowlers may change if current bowlers set new benchmarks. Brief explanation of the ratings is given before each section (Detailed Explanation). So, here are the Top 15 Spin bowlers against Top Teams in ODIs.

*Note: All ODI Ratings are updated till 2025-09-15

CONTENTS

4.1. Against Top Teams

5. ECONOMIC

5.1. Against Top Teams

6. BEST BOWLING BY WKTS (TT)

7. BEST BOWLING BY ECO (TT)

8. TOP TEAMS RATING

9. TOP TEAMS

TT RATING

Points to note about TOP TEAMS Rating:-

Win/Loss Ratio is used to determine Top Teams.
The Top Teams are calculated by decades.
A batsman's performace is counted in TT if it comes against that team in the specific decade.
Knock Out and Super Six matches of ODI World Cup are also counted in TT.
Top Teams may be found in the last section.

THE CRITERIA

The TOP TEAMS Rating is divided into 5 main sections:-

CRITERIA	STAT	POINTS
Prolific	Wickets Taken	250.00
Consistent	Average	200.00
Economic	Strike Rate	200.00
Best Bowling	Top Inns (Wkts)	200.00
Economic Bowling	Top Inns (Eco)	150.00

The Trend Setter (TS)

TS is the player which does the best in a criteria. The rating of all other players are calculated taking the TS as the benchmark. Know All About TS. Here is an example:-

TS Ave: 25.00; Player X Ave: 30.00; Section Points: 300.00
TS Points: 300.00(Max); Player X Points: TS Ave/Ave X 300 = 25.00/30.00 X 300 = 250.00
Ratings of all sections are calculated similarly with Ave being replaced by the Criteria Stat.

QUALIFICATION

Min Innings (TT)	15
Min Career Wkts	50

PROLIFIC

The Eras

The time period from 1971 to present is divided into eras for this section. This is because less cricket was played earlier. To make it fair for earlier players they are compared with players of the same period with a slight reduction in points. Know More About Eras.

Era 1	MP before 1991
Era 2	MP between 1990 And 2011
Era 3	MP greater than 2010

Criteria: Points For Wickets Taken

RANK	ERA 1	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	RJ Shastri	IND	1981	1992	1986.5	117	111	180.00
1	RJ Shastri	IND	1981	1992	1986.5	117	111	180.00
2	IVA Richards	WI	1975	1991	1983	120	105	170.27
3	Abdul Qadir	PAK	1983	1993	1988	82	94	152.43

RANK	ERA 2	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	M Muralitharan	SL	1993	2011	2002	248	372	250.00
1	M Muralitharan	SL	1993	2011	2002	248	372	250.00
2	Shahid Afridi	PAK	1996	2015	2005.5	267	257	172.72
3	A Kumble	IND	1990	2007	1998.5	182	220	147.85
4	Saqlain Mushtaq	PAK	1995	2003	1999	127	206	138.44
5	SK Warne	AUS	1993	2005	1999	142	205	137.77

RANK	ERA 3	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	AU Rashid	ENG	2009	2025	2017	113	161	190.00
1	RA Jadeja	IND	2009	2025	2017	135	148	174.66
2	Shakib Al Hasan	BAN	2006	2023	2014.5	130	146	172.30
3	Saeed Ajmal	PAK	2008	2015	2011.5	77	132	155.78
4	Kuldeep Yadav	IND	2017	2025	2021	76	131	154.60
5	Imran Tahir	SA	2011	2019	2015	77	109	128.63
6	BAW Mendis	SL	2008	2015	2011.5	56	95	112.11
7	SP Narine	WI	2011	2016	2013.5	54	74	87.33

CONSISTENT

R Ave

Relative Average (R Ave) is a more accurate type of average. Know How It Is Calculated. Briefly it takes into account:-

Strength of Opposition.
Venues at which a bowler has played.
Time Period in which he has been active

Criteria: Points For R Ave

Min Qualification For TS
Min Wickets	50

Against Top Teams

RANK	BOWLER	INNS	RUNS	WKTS	AVE	R AVE	RAT
TS	Saeed Ajmal	77	2969	132	22.49	21.56	200.00
1	Saeed Ajmal	77	2969	132	22.49	21.56	200.00
2	Saqlain Mushtaq	127	4970	206	24.13	23.56	183.05
3	Kuldeep Yadav	76	3373	131	25.75	24.51	175.96
4	BAW Mendis	56	2418	95	25.45	24.79	173.96
5	SP Narine	54	2044	74	27.62	24.96	172.81
6	M Muralitharan	248	9404	372	25.28	25.25	170.79
7	Imran Tahir	77	3286	109	30.15	26.18	164.74
8	SK Warne	142	5748	205	28.04	27.97	154.17
9	Abdul Qadir	82	2887	94	30.71	31.30	137.80
10	A Kumble	182	7340	220	33.36	32.74	131.71
11	RJ Shastri	117	4046	111	36.45	34.58	124.73
12	Shakib Al Hasan	130	5507	146	37.72	35.46	121.62
13	IVA Richards	120	3872	105	36.88	35.90	120.14
14	RA Jadeja	135	5858	148	39.58	36.16	119.28
15	Shahid Afridi	267	10123	257	39.39	37.79	114.11

ECONOMIC

R ER

Relative Economy Rate (R ER) for bowlers is calculated using the same method as R Ave with average being replaced with ER.

Criteria: Points For R ER

Min Qualification For TS
Min Balls	1000

Against Top Teams

RANK	BOWLER	INNS	BLS	RUNS	ER	R ER	RAT
TS	SP Narine	54	2922	2044	4.20	3.71	200.00
1	SP Narine	54	2922	2044	4.20	3.71	200.00
2	M Muralitharan	248	13858	9404	4.07	3.90	190.62
3	Saeed Ajmal	77	4195	2969	4.25	3.92	189.69
4	Abdul Qadir	82	4215	2887	4.11	4.17	178.15
5	Imran Tahir	77	4154	3286	4.75	4.17	178.05
6	SK Warne	142	7879	5748	4.38	4.21	176.44
7	IVA Richards	120	5098	3872	4.56	4.26	174.37
8	RJ Shastri	117	5771	4046	4.21	4.27	174.08
9	Saqlain Mushtaq	127	6822	4970	4.37	4.28	173.45
10	A Kumble	182	9957	7340	4.42	4.33	171.75
11	RA Jadeja	135	7067	5858	4.97	4.39	169.25
12	Shakib Al Hasan	130	6820	5507	4.84	4.40	168.89
13	Kuldeep Yadav	76	3936	3373	5.14	4.41	168.63
14	Shahid Afridi	267	12755	10123	4.76	4.51	164.83
15	BAW Mendis	56	2842	2418	5.10	4.62	160.66

BEST BOWLING BY WKTS (TT)

BBW

In this criteria, we have taken the top 5 bowling performances by Wkts of a bowler. Best Bowling By Wickets (BBW) is simply the total wickets taken in the 5 innings divided by 5.

Criteria: Points For Wkts Taken In Top 5 Inns

RANK	BOWLER	1	2	3	4	5	BBW	RAT
TS	M Muralitharan	7/30	5/9	5/23	5/23	5/30	5.40	200.00
1	M Muralitharan	7/30	5/9	5/23	5/23	5/30	5.40	200.00
2	Shahid Afridi	6/38	5/35	5/40	4/20	4/30	4.80	177.78
3	Saqlain Mushtaq	5/20	5/29	5/45	4/17	4/17	4.60	170.37
3	SP Narine	6/27	5/27	4/26	4/27	4/40	4.60	170.37
3	Kuldeep Yadav	6/25	5/25	4/18	4/23	4/39	4.60	170.37
6	A Kumble	6/12	4/12	4/25	4/40	4/40	4.40	162.96
6	BAW Mendis	6/13	4/10	4/47	4/51	4/60	4.40	162.96
6	Saeed Ajmal	5/24	5/43	4/30	4/32	4/33	4.40	162.96
9	IVA Richards	6/41	5/41	4/42	3/29	3/34	4.20	155.56
9	Abdul Qadir	5/53	4/9	4/17	4/21	4/31	4.20	155.56
9	SK Warne	5/33	4/29	4/33	4/36	4/36	4.20	155.56
9	RA Jadeja	5/33	4/23	4/28	4/32	4/33	4.20	155.56
13	Shakib Al Hasan	5/36	4/33	4/41	4/55	3/27	4.00	148.15
14	RJ Shastri	5/15	4/38	4/40	3/26	3/30	3.80	140.74
14	Imran Tahir	4/26	4/27	4/38	4/53	3/26	3.80	140.74

BEST BOWLING BY ECO (TT)

BBE

In this criteria, we have taken the top 5 bowling performances by Economy of a bowler. Best Bowling By Economy (BBE) is the Relative Economy of the bowler in the 5 Inns. Only 30+ Balls performaces are counted in this criteria.

Criteria: Points For Economy In Top 5 Inns

RANK	BOWLER	1	2	3	4	5	BBE	RAT
TS	M Muralitharan	10.0/9	6.0/6	9.0/11	8.0/12	10.0/15	1.18	150.00
1	M Muralitharan	10.0/9	6.0/6	9.0/11	8.0/12	10.0/15	1.18	150.00
2	Saqlain Mushtaq	7.0/9	9.0/13	8.0/12	8.0/13	9.0/17	1.53	115.71
3	SK Warne	10.0/11	10.0/18	10.0/19	10.0/21	6.0/13	1.71	103.21
4	Abdul Qadir	10.0/9	12.0/21	10.0/19	6.0/13	7.0/16	1.76	100.62
5	RJ Shastri	9.3/14	10.0/17	10.0/17	5.0/10	9.0/19	1.80	98.55
6	A Kumble	9.0/11	7.0/12	6.1/12	7.0/15	10.0/22	1.80	98.44
7	Saeed Ajmal	8.0/15	10.0/19	10.0/20	10.0/20	8.0/18	1.84	95.95
8	BAW Mendis	8.0/13	7.0/14	10.0/22	9.0/21	6.1/18	1.98	89.18
9	Imran Tahir	10.0/14	9.2/21	10.0/26	10.0/26	10.0/28	2.05	86.36
10	SP Narine	10.0/20	10.0/21	10.0/24	10.0/25	10.0/26	2.05	86.19
11	Shakib Al Hasan	10.0/20	10.0/21	10.0/22	10.0/25	9.0/24	2.08	85.28
12	RA Jadeja	7.0/12	10.0/19	10.0/28	10.0/29	7.5/23	2.18	80.99
13	Kuldeep Yadav	5.1/7	10.0/25	9.0/23	8.0/25	5.0/16	2.21	79.96
14	Shahid Afridi	7.2/15	10.0/21	10.0/24	8.0/21	8.0/22	2.25	78.67
15	IVA Richards	10.0/23	6.3/16	8.0/20	10.0/26	9.0/24	2.34	75.54

TOP TEAMS RATING

The TOP TEAMS (TT) Rating is the addition of the points of all the above criteria. The rating is out of 1,000.

RANK	BOWLER	PRO	CON	ECO	BBW	BBE	TT RAT
1	M Muralitharan	250.00	170.79	190.62	200.00	150.00	961.41
2	Saeed Ajmal	155.78	200.00	189.69	162.96	95.95	804.38
3	Saqlain Mushtaq	138.44	183.05	173.45	170.37	115.71	781.02
4	Kuldeep Yadav	154.60	175.96	168.63	170.37	79.96	749.51
5	SK Warne	137.77	154.17	176.44	155.56	103.21	727.14
6	Abdul Qadir	152.43	137.80	178.15	155.56	100.62	724.55
7	RJ Shastri	180.00	124.73	174.08	140.74	98.55	718.10
8	SP Narine	87.33	172.81	200.00	170.37	86.19	716.71
9	A Kumble	147.85	131.71	171.75	162.96	98.44	712.70
10	Shahid Afridi	172.72	114.11	164.83	177.78	78.67	708.10
11	RA Jadeja	174.66	119.28	169.25	155.56	80.99	699.73
12	BAW Mendis	112.11	173.96	160.66	162.96	89.18	698.88
13	Imran Tahir	128.63	164.74	178.05	140.74	86.36	698.53
14	Shakib Al Hasan	172.30	121.62	168.89	148.15	85.28	696.23
15	IVA Richards	170.27	120.14	174.37	155.56	75.54	695.89