Table of Contents
Based on ICC rankings, performance statistics, and impact across international formats in 2025, here are the top 10 spinners currently dominating world cricket:
1. Varun Chakravarthy (India)
Format Specialty: T20I
Varun Chakravarthy achieved a historic milestone by becoming the No.1 ranked T20I bowler in September 2025, making him only the third Indian bowler to reach this pinnacle. The 34-year-old mystery spinner has been in sensational form with 26 wickets in just 16 matches at an astonishing average of 13.96. His economy rate of 5.30 during the Asia Cup demonstrates his ability to restrict runs in any phase of play. Former cricketers have hailed him as "more valuable than Jasprit Bumrah" in T20I cricket due to his versatility across all game phases.?
2. Keshav Maharaj (South Africa)
Format Specialty: ODI, Test
Maharaj holds the joint-No.1 position in ICC ODI bowling rankings with a rating of 671. The 35-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner reclaimed the top spot in August 2025 after delivering a career-best 5/33 against Australia in Cairns. In Test cricket, he ranks 13th overall with 701 rating points. His accuracy, drift, and subtle pace variations make him particularly effective in building pressure during middle overs, often creating wicket-taking opportunities at both ends.?
3. Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka)
Format Specialty: ODI
Theekshana shares the No.1 ODI bowling ranking with Maharaj at 671 rating points. The Sri Lankan off-spinner has become the backbone of his nation's spin attack with his carrom ball and pace variations. Known for excelling in powerplay and middle overs, Theekshana frequently maintains an economy rate under 4 runs per over, making him invaluable on slower pitches and in both home and overseas conditions.?
4. Kuldeep Yadav (India)
Format Specialty: ODI, Test
Kuldeep Yadav ranks 3rd in ODI bowling with 650 rating points and 15th in Test cricket with 689 points. The left-arm wrist spinner has been instrumental for India across formats, with 179 ODI wickets at an average of 26.51 and an economy rate of 5.00. His career-best figures of 6/25 against England showcase his wicket-taking prowess. In the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he took 5 wickets across multiple matches, maintaining his reputation as a middle-order destroyer.?
5. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Format Specialty: ODI, T20I
Despite a challenging IPL 2025 season, Rashid Khan remains one of the world's most feared spinners with 640 rating points in ODI cricket (5th position). The 27-year-old leg-spinner has taken 183 ODI wickets and 130 T20I wickets, holding records as the fastest and youngest to reach 100 ODI wickets (44 games) and 100 T20I wickets (53 games). After recovering from surgery that affected his bowling action, Khan regained his pace (94-98 kph) and returned to form in international cricket.?
6. Noman Ali (Pakistan)
Format Specialty: Test
Noman Ali has emerged as a Test cricket phenomenon in 2025, ranking 3rd overall in ICC Test bowling with 843 rating points. The 39-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner has been virtually unstoppable since his comeback in October 2024, taking an incredible 42 wickets in just 9 innings at an average of 14.07. He recorded his third career ten-wicket haul against South Africa and now holds the record for most six-wicket hauls (5) by a Pakistan spinner in home Tests, surpassing the legendary Abdul Qadir. In January 2025, he became the first Pakistani spinner to take a men's Test hat-trick against West Indies.?
7. Adil Rashid (England)
Format Specialty: ODI, T20I
Adil Rashid ranks 2nd in T20I bowling with 710 rating points and 9th in ODI rankings with 628 points. In 2025, the leg-spinner surpassed Graeme Swann to become England's all-time leading wicket-taker among spinners with 412 international wickets (60 Tests, 221 ODIs, 131 T20Is). His 4/63 against West Indies in October 2025 marked his 12th four-wicket haul in ODI cricket. Rashid also became the first England spinner to reach 200 ODI wickets, achieving this milestone at an average of 32.2.?
8. Ravindra Jadeja (India)
Format Specialty: Test, ODI
Jadeja ranks 8th in ODI bowling with 616 rating points and 19th in Test cricket with 662 points. The left-arm orthodox spinner has taken 230 ODI wickets at an average of 35.43 with an economy rate of 4.86. In 2025, he has been exceptional with the bat as well, scoring 659 runs in seven Tests at an average of 82.37, including two centuries. His pinpoint accuracy, pace through the air, and ability to stifle runs make him invaluable during middle overs.?
9. Adam Zampa (Australia)
Format Specialty: ODI, T20I
Zampa ranks 9th in ODI bowling with 614 rating points. In October 2025, he surpassed Steve Waugh to become Australia's 7th-highest ODI wicket-taker with 196 wickets at an average of 28.33. The leg-spinner finished with 4/60 against India, registering his 12th four-wicket haul in ODI cricket. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup with 23 wickets—the most ever by an Australian spinner at a World Cup. Zampa has taken over 322 wickets in 217 white-ball appearances for Australia.?
10. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Format Specialty: T20I, ODI
Hasaranga is ranked 11th in ODI bowling and remains Sri Lanka's leading T20I wicket-taker with over 100 scalps. In 2025, he played 8 ODI matches and took 15 wickets with a strike rate of 22.13 and average of 17.66. The leg-spin all-rounder was the leading wicket-taker in the 2021 T20 World Cup with 16 dismissals and played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's 2022 Asia Cup victory. His IPL career includes 46 wickets in 37 matches, with a career-best 5/18 against SRH in 2022.?
Honorable Mentions
Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): Ranks 14th in Test bowling with 693 rating points. The left-arm orthodox spinner has taken 122 Test wickets at an average of 31.38, including 12 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls in just 22 Tests. He is the fastest Sri Lankan to reach both 50 and 100 Test wickets.?
Ravi Bishnoi (India): The young leg-spinner has emerged as a key white-ball option for India with 61 T20I wickets in 42 matches at an average of 19.37 and economy of 7.35. In IPL 2025, he played 11 matches for Lucknow Super Giants, taking 9 wickets.?
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): Ranks 1st among New Zealand spinners in ODI bowling with 637 rating points. The left-arm orthodox spinner has taken 124 ODI wickets at an average of 35.95 with an economy rate of 4.82.?
Nathan Lyon (Australia): Ranks 8th in Test bowling with 769 rating points, remaining Australia's premier Test spinner with 583 career wickets.?
This diverse list showcases the global strength of spin bowling in 2025, with representation from India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Afghanistan, England, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand across all three international formats
