In cricket's battle of willow and leather, some bowlers rely on pace or swing to achieve their objectives. Spin bowlers rely on flight, bounce and turn -- allied with ample guile -- to outfox batsmen. Fast men normally dominated the wickets list before great spinners like Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan mastered the difficult craft.
The difficulty in mastering spin bowling makes it easier to identify the best spin bowlers in cricket history- most of whom are from the Asian sub-continent. However, it is important to use relevant and objective criteria to identify the best spin bowlers in cricket's long history. These criteria include:
Variations: The best spin bowlers have enough variations in flight, bounce and turn to keep batsmen guessing
A good career average: Below 30.00 for spin bowlers
Number of matches/ number of wickets: The best spin bowlers should have either at least 50 Tests or 300 Test wickets (not necessarily both)
Bowling strike rate: Spin requires a bit of patience but the best can take a wicket every 70 balls or less
These criteria rule out some very good spinners from different eras like Danish Kaneria, Bishen Singh Bedi, Lance Gibbs, Abdul Qadir, Clarrie Grimmett and Richie Benaud. Even with these notable omissions, four spinners easily satisfied all criteria. These spin bowlers - who devastated many batting line-ups - include: Muttiah Muralitharan (Off break/Sri Lanka); Shane Warne (Leg break/Australia); Anil Kumble (Leg break/India) and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar (Leg break/India)

Muttiah Muralitharan

At the time of writing (June 2011), Muttiah Muralitharan is by far the best spinner statistically. However, doubts and controversy over his unique bowling action meant that cricket pundits did not unanimously declare him the best spinner of all time. With 800 wickets from 133 Tests, Muralitharan has the best strike rate ever for a spin-bowler. Even West Indies batting superstar, Brian Lara, rated Muralitharan as the best spin bowler that he ever faced.
Few batsmen ever got on top of Murali. Even those that did hardly did so consistently (other than Lara). Muralitharan was a threat in all conditions -- even the seam-friendly conditions of England. His turn was so prodigious that he could almost turn the ball square -- particularly in helpful conditions. Murali's variations included the doosra and straight delivery -- a complete off-spinning arsenal that made him difficult for top batsmen to pick.


Shane Warne

Shane Warne never suffered on-field legitimacy issues. Australia's best spinner was also the best exponent of leg break/googly bowling that the world has ever seen. Warne could even bowl a dangerous flipper that often outfoxed batsmen who played for turn. The variety he bowled with complemented an acute cricket brain that allowed Warne to outwit batsmen or even buy their wickets cheaply.
Warne was the third fastest bowler to 500 wickets and the first to reach the 700-wicket mark. Cricket experts feel that he could have been the first to break the 800-mark if he had continued. As a true champion, Warne retired from international cricket at the top of his game -- even at age 37. Many cricket pundits consider Warne to be the best bowler ever -- even beyond the realm of spin bowling.

Anil Kumble

India's premier spin bowler was hardly a prodigious spinner of the ball. However, his variations in flight and turn helped him to scalp over 600 Test wickets in his career. That Kumble is third in the all-time Test wicket-takers list, illustrates why cricket followers regard him as one of the best bowlers of all time -- not merely one of the best spinners. He bowled a fierce arm-ball that troubled batsmen -- especially on wearing surfaces. Kumble is also one of the few bowlers to take all 10 wickets in an innings -- against Pakistan at Delhi in 1999.

Bhagwath Chandrasekhar

Before Anil Kumble, Indian's exponent of leg break bowling was Bhagwath Chandrasekhar. Kumble actually idolised Chandrasekhar, who was actually the most successful of India's famous four spinners of the 60s and 70s. Although, he did not take 300 Test wickets (242 wickets at 29.74) he qualifies by having played 58 Tests and being able to bowl exceptionally in unfamiliar conditions. Cricket observers noted that Chandrasekhar was often erratic but was capable of bowling virtually unplayable deliveries on a regular basis.
It is interesting that leg break bowlers dominate the list of best spinners -- perhaps because 'leggies' are mystery bowlers. Two spinners, who are not leg spinners and were active in 2009, have the chance to break through as one of the best spinners. Daniel Vettori from New Zealand is the best slow left arm spinner to have played the game. Harbhajan Singh from India is also a genuine match-winner with his off-spin. Spin may be a difficult art, but its exponents have spun themselves to the top of the list of all-time Test wicket takers.