Cricket has evolved a lot in the last few years thanks to the advent of IPL and T20 cricket. The batsmen have now become more fearless, attacking the bowlers from the word ‘go’ while the bowlers have introduced new variations in the game. Speaking of the spin bowlers, the demand of leg-spinners has increased because of their wicket-taking abilities, but many spin bowlers have refrained from giving flight to the batsmen.
Their sole goal is to keep a check on the run flow and get the better of the batsmen if they commit a mistake. Here’s a look at the top five quickest spinners in modern-day cricket.
Marlon Samuels
A majority of the cricket universe knows him for his incredible performances in the finals of the T20 World Cup. However, Marlon Samuels has proven himself as a complete all-rounder with his excellent performances in the bowling departments. He bowls right-arm off-spin at a pace that not many spinners can touch. In the early 2010s, his firing yorkers had made life difficult for the batsmen. Unfortunately, ICC suspended him for his illegal action in 2013.
Ajantha Mendis
The Indian fans will always remember Sri Lankan leg-spinner, Ajantha Mendis, for his exploits in the 2008 Asia Cup. The former Kolkata Knight Riders player single-handedly won the finale for his team with a game-changing spell. The unique part of his bowling was that he offered little time to the batsmen to pick his deliveries. Since he bowled at a swift pace, the batsmen hardly had time to come down the track and attack him.
BS Chandrashekhar
Many fans hailed Indian leg-spinner, BS Chandrashekhar, as the fastest spinner of his time. The leggie made a name for himself when he dismissed Sir Vivian Richards thrice in four matches. He won the Wisden award for the ‘Best bowling performance of the century’ thanks to his miraculous spell of 6/38 against England in 1971. The batsmen found it difficult to pick his deliveries.
Anil Kumble
Another Indian leg-spinner to feature on this list is the former Indian Test captain, Anil Kumble. The speedometer recorded his fastest delivery at 118 km/h while he regularly clocked 100 km/h with his deliveries. Facing him on a rank turner was the worst nightmare of any batsman as he could generate the right amount of pace, bounce, and turn.
Shahid Afridi
On many occasions, the medium pacers fail to surpass the 130 km/h, while the former Pakistani skipper touched the 134 km/h mark on the speedometer. Afridi took the batsmen aback on multiple occasions with his fast spin. The all-rounder is still playing T20 cricket as he took part in the Pakistan Super League 2020.
