ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Kumble, Harbhajan, Bedi: India’s Five Spin Kings

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.

Published
Cricket
6 min read
story-hero-img
i
Aa
Aa
Small
Aa
Medium
Aa
Large
Hindi Female

The batsmen may have been the foreground of the Indian Test line-up since their first Test against England in 1932, but when it comes to the bowling department, the spinners have always been expected to get the wickets for the team.

While West Indies is renowned for their pace quartet of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner; the Indians also had a spin quartet in Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna and S Venkataraghavan during the 60s and 70s.

As the Indian team became a potent force in Tests over the years, two of the best spinners of all time – Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh came along and notched several victories for India.

On the mark of India’s 500th Test, which they will play against New Zealand on Thursday, The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners.

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.
(Photo: The Quint)
ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Anil Kumble

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.
Anil Kumble. (Photo: Reuters)

Leg-spinners are a rare breed. Leg-spinners like Anil Kumble are an even rarer breed. When he made his Test debut against England in 1990, Kumble was a bespectacled, lanky leg-spinner, whose regulation delivery was as quicker as the change-up variation of most quick bowlers.

For an unconventional bowler like Kumble to become India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, and the third-highest wicket taker in the format, speaks volumes of the man’s ability, grit and determination.

Kumble, India’s biggest match-winner, became better with age. While at the start of his career, he had the leg-break and the one that skidded through straight. Over the years, Kumble added the flighted googly to his repertoire.

There was a time when India’s fortunes – especially at home – rode on Kumble’s shoulders alone. But as he aged and as he gained more experience, he added more variation to his arsenal and became lethal even when India played overseas.

Among the several records against his name, there is one rare achievement: he became one of two bowlers in Test history to take all ten wickets in a Test innings. Kumble accomplished this feat in the 1999 Delhi Test match against Pakistan.

Kumble, who has won more matches for India than any other cricketer has done, was bestowed captaincy of the Indian Test team in 2007. But, an injury to his palm brought a premature end to his career. He announced his retirement from the game in October 2008, with a career tally of 619 Test scalps.

0

Harbhajan Singh

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.
Harbhajan Singh. (Photo: Reuters)

Harbhajan Singh has seen it all during his career. He was thrown into the big stage called Test cricket at a tender age of 17 years and 265 days, fought off concerns raised about his actions, established himself to become India’s preferred choice spinner, became India’s most successful off-spinner, before losing his place in the team to the next generation of spinners.

Harbhajan Singh had it all in his armoury; he bowled the traditional off-break flighted through the air, and over a period also added the drifter and the straighter one.

Among the many highs in Harbhajan Singh’s career, the 2001 home series against Australia will be on top of the list. In that series, the off-spinner earned the nickname ‘Turbanator’ after tormenting the Aussies and returning with a haul of 32 wickets in a three-Test series.

To put his performance in context, the next best tally of wickets by an Indian bowler in that series was three wickets. It was in the same series that Harbhajan Singh became the first Indian bowler to pick up a hat-trick in Test cricket.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Bishan Bedi

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.
Bishan Bedi. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Cricket STATS)

Bishan Bedi was a purist’s delight; he had a smooth action, bowled with a big heart, dared to throw the ball up and lured the batsmen in committing a mistake. A left-arm spinner, Bedi made his Test debut in January 1967 and was a permanent member in the Indian team for most part until he played his last Test match in 1979.

Bedi was the most successful in the famed Indian spin quartet; he ended his career with a total of 266 wickets from 67 Test appearances. He also captained India in 22 Tests between 1976 and 1978 and was the team’s most successful bowler.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

BS Chandrasekhar

Born in Mysore, BS Chandrasekhar was not the typical leg-spinner. A polio attack left his right arm withered at a young age, but Chandra did not let that handicap deter him; instead he converted the handicap into his strength and became one of India’s best bowlers. He played 58 Tests between 1964 and 1979, and returned with a tally of 242 wickets.

Chandra had plenty of variety in his arsenal – the googlies, the top-spinners and the spitting leg-breaks. Unlike traditional leg-spinners, Chandra had a longish run-up, was quick through the air and troubled batsmen with both pace and bounce.

He produced several sensational spells of bowling, many of which swung Test matches in India’s favour. In 14 matches that India won during his stint with the team, Chandra picked up 98 wickets at a strike-rate of a wicket every eight overs. He was particularly successful when India played overseas.

In 26 Tests on the road, Chandra picked up 100 wickets, which included 8 five-wicket hauls – just as many as he had in 32 Tests at home.

Chandra’s memorable performances included his 35 wickets in the 1972-73 home series against England, his 6-38 in the second innings of the Oval Test in 1971 (which would become India’s first Test win in England), and his 6-wicket haul in both innings at Melbourne in 1977-78 (which would become India’s first Test win in Australia).

What made Chandra special was that he also generally got the best batsman in the opposition. He was extremely successful against England in particular, picking up a total of 95 wickets in 23 Tests against them.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Ravichandran Ashwin

The Quint takes a look at India’s five most successful spinners on the eve of the team’s 500th Test.
R Ashwin. (Photo: Reuters) 

It wouldn’t be wrong in saying Ravichandran Ashwin has stepped in to fill the void left by the retirement of Anil Kumble. An off-spinner in the traditional mould, Ashwin – a reluctant user of the floater or the drifter, especially in Test cricket – has won many a Test matches for India, particularly at home.

Since his Test debut in 2011, Ashwin has taken 193 wickets in 36 matches – with nearly two thirds of his wickets leading to or resulting in India wins. The Chennai lad has been spectacular particularly while playing in home conditions. In his first 19 Test matches at home, Ashwin has picked up a total of 126 wickets, which includes 13 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls. He hasn’t been as effective overseas; but on recent away tours, Ashwin has shown he has developed the art of picking up wickets in overseas conditions too.

In 36 Tests so far, Ashwin has won six Man of the Match awards. He has also been named Player of the Series on six occasions – most by an Indian cricketer ever!

Such has been the dominance of this Chennai-born off-spinner, who is the fastest among Indian bowlers to grab 150 Test wickets.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

Read Latest News and Breaking News at The Quint, browse for more from sports and cricket

Speaking truth to power requires allies like you.
Become a Member
3 months
12 months
12 months
Check Member Benefits
Read More
×
×