Tests - Spin Bowlers With Best Strike Rates Featured

Top 25 Test Spin Bowlers With Best Strike Rates

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All Test Ratings on the website are from 01/01/1950 onwards. Our ratings are based on conditions and diverse oppositions. Before the above mentioned date, there were primarily only two teams which dominated cricket. Moreover, matches were of unequal length with some ending in 4 days and some being timeless. Post 1950, West Indies and South Africa grew as test teams. Moreover, Asian teams India and Pakistan started improving after 1950 and became compenent at home at least. Performance in Asia and outside Asia are integral to our overall rating.

*Note: All Test Ratings are updated till 2023-01-08

CONTENTS
1. TOP 25 Spinners WITH BEST STRIKE RATES IN TEST CRICKET
2. TOP 25 Spinners WITH BEST R SR IN TEST CRICKET
Best Strike Rates

The first list simply gives you the bowlers with best strike rates in Test Cricket since 1950. The second list gives you the bowlers with best Relative Strike Rates (R SR). How it is calculated is explained in the highlighted sections. Only bowlers with more than 100 wickets are considered for both lists.

TOP 25 Spinners WITH BEST STRIKE RATES IN TEST CRICKET

RANK BOWLER NAT FP LP INNS RUNS WKTS SR
1 R Ashwin IND 2011 2022 166 10912 449 52.49
2 SCG MacGill AUS 1998 2008 85 6038 208 54.02
3 M Muralitharan SL 1992 2010 230 18180 800 55.05
4 SK Warne AUS 1992 2007 273 17995 708 57.49
5 Yasir Shah PAK 2014 2022 89 7657 244 58.42
6 HMRKB Herath SL 1999 2018 170 12157 433 60.03
7 GP Swann ENG 2008 2013 109 7642 255 60.19
8 MM Ali ENG 2014 2021 112 7149 195 60.79
9 KA Maharaj SA 2016 2023 81 4974 155 60.85
10 RA Jadeja IND 2012 2022 114 5980 242 60.95
11 Shakib Al Hasan BAN 2007 2022 109 7204 231 63.55
12 Mehidy Hasan Miraz BAN 2016 2022 63 4929 146 64.11
13 NM Lyon AUS 2011 2023 217 14563 460 64.72
14 Saeed Ajmal PAK 2009 2014 67 5003 178 65.12
15 Taijul Islam BAN 2014 2022 70 5520 166 65.89
16 BS Chandrasekhar IND 1964 1979 97 7199 242 65.96
17 A Kumble IND 1990 2008 236 18355 619 66.00
18 PR Adams SA 1995 2004 76 4405 134 66.04
19 MDK Perera SL 2014 2021 78 5780 161 67.11
20 PP Ojha IND 2009 2013 48 3420 113 67.55
21 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 1995 2004 86 6206 208 67.64
22 Mushtaq Ahmed PAK 1990 2003 89 6100 185 67.74
23 Danish Kaneria PAK 2000 2010 112 9082 261 67.80
24 MJ Leach ENG 2018 2022 53 3768 110 68.41
25 Harbhajan Singh IND 1998 2015 190 13537 417 68.54
C SR

The Comparative Strike Rate (C SR) for bowlers is calculated by taken into account two factors:-

  • First is the SR of batsmen in the decades the bowler played.
  • Second is the SR of the opposition batsmen at Home, in Asia or outside Asia; whichever is applicable.
  • The SR of the opposing team’s batsmen is also calculated by decades.
  • Higher C SR suggest that more runs were scored by the batsmen in the above mentioned factors.
  • Thus it was difficult to get Wkts and the bowler will benefit from this.
  • Lower C SR means the opposite.
R SR

The Relative Strike Rate (R SR) is calculated using the C SR. Its formula is (Bowler SR/C SR)*A Constant Factor. This constant doesn’t affect the rating as it is the same for everone. If your C SR is comparatively high, your R SR will be low; which is better for bowlers. Broadly speaking, the following bowlers will benefit from this system:-

  • Bowlers who have played more in unfavourable conditions.
  • Asian fast bowlers and Non-Asian spin bowlers whereever applicable.
  • Bowlers who have played in an era where the batsmen dominated, like the 2000s
  • Bowlers who have played more against top opposition than weaker teams.
  • Bowlers from the earlier era benefit from R SR.
  • This is because more balls were taken to get a Wkt back then as batsmen had better defensive technique.

TOP 25 Spinners WITH BEST R SR IN TEST CRICKET

RANK BOWLER NAT FP LP INNS RUNS WKTS SR R SR
1 SCG MacGill AUS 1998 2008 85 6038 208 54.02 55.89
2 SK Warne AUS 1992 2007 273 17995 708 57.49 56.34
3 B Yardley AUS 1978 1983 58 3986 126 70.71 58.42
4 M Muralitharan SL 1992 2010 230 18180 800 55.05 59.78
5 BS Chandrasekhar IND 1964 1979 97 7199 242 65.96 60.94
6 KA Maharaj SA 2016 2023 81 4974 155 60.85 62.98
7 GP Swann ENG 2008 2013 109 7642 255 60.19 63.07
8 R Ashwin IND 2011 2022 166 10912 449 52.49 63.13
9 PR Adams SA 1995 2004 76 4405 134 66.04 63.37
10 MM Ali ENG 2014 2021 112 7149 195 60.79 64.37
11 DL Underwood ENG 1966 1982 151 7674 297 73.61 64.43
12 AA Mallett AUS 1968 1980 71 3940 132 75.68 65.27
13 Abdul Qadir PAK 1977 1990 111 7742 236 72.57 65.69
14 JG Bracewell NZ 1980 1990 67 3653 102 82.38 66.18
15 Mushtaq Ahmed PAK 1990 2003 89 6100 185 67.74 66.92
16 GAR Lock ENG 1952 1968 88 4451 174 75.56 67.69
17 Yasir Shah PAK 2014 2022 89 7657 244 58.42 67.80
18 NM Lyon AUS 2011 2023 217 14563 460 64.72 68.34
19 HMRKB Herath SL 1999 2018 170 12157 433 60.03 68.75
20 A Kumble IND 1990 2008 236 18355 619 66.00 69.43
21 Iqbal Qasim PAK 1976 1988 86 4807 171 76.13 69.88
22 R Benaud AUS 1952 1964 116 6704 248 77.05 70.17
23 EAS Prasanna IND 1962 1978 86 5742 189 75.94 70.18
24 SP Gupte IND 1951 1961 61 4403 149 75.73 71.08
25 Saqlain Mushtaq PAK 1995 2004 86 6206 208 67.64 71.49

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