Rangana Herath Picks His Best Spinners In The Modern-Day Era

Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka’s premier spinner and arguably the second-best the country has ever produced, is renowned for his remarkable career achievements. He has accumulated over 1,000 first-class wickets, more than 500 international wickets, and 400 Test wickets, solidifying his status as a cricketing legend. Herath’s career, often highlighted by his prowess in red-ball cricket, took a notable turn when he excelled in the shortest format of the game. His key contribution came during Sri Lanka’s historic T20 World Cup victory in 2014, where he played a crucial role by taking a five-wicket haul against New Zealand, propelling the Lankan Lions into the tournament's playoffs.

In recent times, Sri Lankan cricket has seen a resurgence in spinning talent, evident from the team’s strong performance in the white-ball series against India. Reflecting on the current generation of spinners, Herath has identified several players who have caught his attention. He has made a distinction between finger spinners and wrist spinners in his assessment of the emerging talent. At 42, Herath remains deeply involved in the cricketing world, sharing insights and praising the new wave of spinners who continue to make an impact in the sport. His perspective not only highlights the evolving nature of Sri Lankan spin bowling but also underscores his ongoing commitment to the game and its future stars.

“It’s got to be Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon if you take finger spinners. Another one I like is of course Keshav Maharaj from South Africa. I’m also always very keen on watching Kuldeep Yadav bowl I mean. As for Sri Lanka, of course, Prabath Jayasuriya, so yes, these are some of the names that come across my mind,” said former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath while speaking to Arvind Krishnan. 

Sri Lanka’s spin bowlers demonstrated exceptional skill in the recent ODI series against India, dominating with a total of 27 wickets. This impressive performance put significant pressure on the formidable Indian batting lineup and set a record for the highest number of wickets taken by any team in a bilateral series consisting of fewer than four games. Among the standout performances, Dunith Wellalage made a notable impact by becoming the first spinner to feature prominently on the list of bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls against India, a list traditionally dominated by fast bowlers. His achievement highlights a shift in the dynamic of spin bowling in the region and showcases the evolving talent within Sri Lanka’s cricketing ranks.

On the Indian side, the spinners also contributed significantly, despite the overall dominance of Sri Lanka's bowlers. In the three-match series, Indian spinners managed to claim 16 wickets. Washington Sundar led the way for India with five wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav added four to his tally. Their efforts, though notable, were overshadowed by the exceptional performance of Sri Lanka’s spin attack. This series underscored the growing importance of spin bowling in modern ODI cricket and provided a compelling display of skill from both teams' spin departments.

Sri Lanka’s recent ODI series victory against India marked the end of a long-standing drought, as they clinched their first 50-over series win against India since 1997. This achievement not only highlights a significant turnaround for Sri Lankan cricket but also breaks a lengthy streak of series defeats against their formidable rivals. In addition to Sri Lanka’s historic win, the series loss holds particular significance for Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma became only the third Indian captain to lose an ODI series to Sri Lanka. This outcome emphasizes the shift in competitive dynamics and showcases the resurgence of Sri Lanka as a strong contender in the 50-over format. The victory not only ends a period of underachievement but also serves as a testament to Sri Lanka’s improved performance and strategic prowess in one-day internationals. For India, the loss underlines the challenges and competition in modern cricket, illustrating that no team can be taken lightly in the evolving landscape of international cricket.