Top five wicket-takers among current spinners in Test cricket

Even though it does not get as much viewership as the newest formats of cricket, Test cricket is still considered to be one of the best. It tests you as a player, poses various challenges, both mentally and physically. The players playing in the longest format of the game require great skill to excel in the format.

Spinners usually have a huge role to fulfil in Test cricket. They help maintain the over rates and pick some crucial wickets for their respective teams. Some of the spinners from the current generation have done exceedingly well while playing in the longest format of cricket. Here are five current spinners who picked the highest number of wickets in Tests:

5. Ravindra Jadeja | 213 wickets

Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most impactful players for Team India in Test cricket in recent times. He is pin-point accurate with the ball and is someone who can pitch all the six balls of an over at nearly the same spot. Moreover, he doubles up as a very good batting option lower down the order for his team.

The southpaw is a brilliant fielder as well. Jadeja has played in 49 Test matches so far. He has accounted for 213 wickets so far and is climbing up the charts quickly. Jadeja has an average below 25 which is quite good and he has picked up 9 5-wicket hauls so far.

4. Yasir Shah | 224 wickets

Yasir Shah is the fourth spinner on the list and has done really well in Test cricket. The leg-spinner has had a massive role in whatever success Pakistan had in recent times. He picks up some very important wickets for his team at crucial times.

Shah has played in 42 Test matches so far. He has accounted for 224 wickets at an average just under 31. He has a good strike of 57 in Test cricket and has picked up 16 5-wicket hauls thus far in his career.

3. Ravichandran Ashwin | 365 wickets

Ravichandran Ashwin, arguably, is right up there amongst the great spinners of this generation. The amount of success that he has achieved in the number of games that he has played is truly phenomenal. Already, at this stage of his career, Ravichandran Ashwin has broken several records in Test cricket.

The off-spinner, who made his debut at around the same time as Nathan Lyon, has only played 71 Tests so far. He picked up 365 wickets including 27 5-wicket hauls. His average of 25 in the format is also truly remarkable.

2. Nathan Lyon | 390 wickets

Nathan Lyon is the second on the list and is closing in on 400 Test wickets. It has been a fabulous turnaround for the Australian and he has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years. Currently, Lyon is an irreplaceable part of the Australian Test team and has played a massive role in their success.

Lyon featured in 96 Test matches in the last 10 years and picked 390 wickets at an average of 32. His best bowling figures in an innings are 8/50. Thus far, Nathan Lyon has picked up 18 5-wicket hauls and 3 10-wicket hauls.

1. Harbhajan Singh | 417 wickets

The Indian off-spinner has not played in a Test match since 2015. However, the 40-year-old hasn’t announced his retirement yet and thus is considered in this list. Harbhajan has been one of the most successful spinners for India with the red ball.

The Turbanator has picked up the second-highest wickets for India as a spinner after Anil Kumble. In his illustrious career, Harbhajan Singh has picked up 417 wickets in 103 matches. He averages 32 in the format, picked up 25 five-wicket hauls and 5 ten-wicket hauls.