Ranking Test Cricket's Current Top 10 Spinners

England's forthcoming series against Pakistan is expected to be something of a spin-fest with the United Arab Emirates' dry tracks usually providing slow bowlers with plenty of assistance.

However, this is far from the norm in Test cricket where, more often than not and particularly outside of Asia, spinners often play a supporting role at best.

And, in fact, most slow bowlers seem to be just one unremarkable performance away from feeling the sharp end of the selector's axe!

Furthermore, a few years ago, the likes of Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble used to win games single-handedly, but could you name the best spinner in the world right now? Thought not.

So with that in mind, here, in ascending order, based on their recent achievements as much as their overall career records, are Bleacher Report's top 10 spinners currently plying their trade in Test cricket.

Honourable Mentions

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Here's a selection of spinners who just missed the cut in terms of making the top 10 but could arguably have made the list.

Saeed Ajmal: The Pakistani ace was the most successful spinner of the current decade, but since being banned and having to remodel his action, he has struggled to be effective.

Moeen Ali: Regularly maligned for his abilities with the ball, with 45 wickets at 36.04, the Worcestershire all-rounder actually has a decent record compared to his slow-bowling peers.

Mohammad Hafeez: Considered more of a batsman than bowler, Hafeez has claimed 52 wickets from 44 Tests—although the 34-year-old's currently banned from bowling for 12 months.

Imran Tahir: Surely Tahir is better than his current record of 43 wickets at 46.39 suggests, but, at the age of 36, it may be too late in the South African's career to find out.

Taijul Islam: The latest model off the Bangladeshi spinners' production line, Islam has 36 scalps from just nine Tests but needs to perform similarly against higher-quality opposition.

Sunil Narine: Another spinner who should possess a better record in Test cricket than he does. Given his preference for the white-ball stuff, Narine may never improve on his 21 red-ball wickets.

Pragyan Ojha: The Indian would've been a certainty for this list if problems with his action hadn't stalled his career. Can he rediscover the form that produced 113 wickets at just over 30?

10. Tharindu Kaushal

LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/Getty Images

Tests: 6

Wickets: 24

Average: 42.12

Economy Rate: 4.02

While his overall statistics are far from impressive right now, Tharindu Kaushal doesn't seem out of his depth in Test cricket and has age on his side.

Highly rated in Sri Lankan domestic cricket, the 22-year-old picked up 12 wickets in three Tests against India recently, including eight for 181 at Galle, and caused plenty of problems with his prodigious turn.

How Kaushal will fare on less responsive surfaces—in say, England or Australia—remains to be seen, but hopefully the selectors will give the off-spinner plenty of time to develop.

9. Devendra Bishoo

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Tests: 13

Wickets: 50

Average: 37.42

Economy Rate: 3.12

Since making his international debut and being named the ICC's Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2011, Devendra Bishoo has endured something of a rollercoaster ride in Test cricket.

However, the 29-year-old boasts OK numbers for a relatively young spinner and could yet justify the hype bestowed on him four years ago.

With Sunil Narine preferring to travel the T20 path, Shane Shillingford struggling with his action and Sulieman Benn losing form, Bishoo should have the opportunity to blossom over the next few years.

8. Harbhajan Singh

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Tests: 103

Wickets: 417

Average: 32.46

Economy Rate: 2.84

A few years ago, Harbhajan Singh would have been much higher up this list, but the ninth-highest Test wicket taker of all time, is gradually fading out of the five-day arena.

That said, the 35-year-old played a single Test in the recent tour of Sri Lanka and has also featured in India's recent limited overs games with South Africa.

In his heyday during the previous decade, Singh formed a lethal partnership with Anil Kumble and managed to take 10 wickets in a match on five occasions while maintaining a miserly economy rate.

7. Shakib Al Hasan

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Tests: 42

Wickets: 147

Average: 33.31

Economy Rate: 3.00

Despite playing in a predominantly losing team—Bangladesh have won just seven of their 93 Tests—Shakib Al Hasan has clearly been his country's outstanding player of recent times.

And the statistics garnered from the all-rounder's slow left-arm offerings during his career so far stand up well when compared to many other members of the spinner's union.

Rather than extracting prodigious turn or surprising bounce, Shakib bowls accurately and consistently, building up pressure and forcing batsmen to make mistakes.

6. Zulfiqar Babar

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Tests: 10

Wickets: 42

Average: 37.40

Economy Rate: 3.20

Since taking advantage of Saeed Ajmal's absence to make his international debut at the ripe old age of 34 years old in 2013, Zulfiqar Babar hasn't looked back.

True, he's played on a succession of spin-friendly decks in the UAE and Sri Lanka, but 42 wickets in the bag already suggests Pakistan probably should have selected the slow left-armer many years ago.

And with a three-match series against the notoriously-poor-at-playing-spin England imminent, expect Babar to pick up a few more victims over the next few weeks.

5. Amit Mishra

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Tests: 16

Wickets: 58

Average: 35.98

Economy Rate: 3.15

With his pleasing-on-the-eye technique and wealth of variations up his sleeve, leg-spinner Amit Mishra is a great bowler to watch in action.

However, like many other members of this list, his place in India's team always seems precarious, so much so that the recent Sri Lanka tour was just the third time Mishra has played every game of a series since his 2008 debut.

At the age of 32, Mishra has plenty of overs left in him, and, as evidenced by his 15 wickets at an average of just over 15 so far this year, he has plenty still to give.

4. Nathan Lyon

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Tests: 46

Wickets: 162

Average: 34.09

Economy Rate: 3.16

Nathan Lyon is continually seen as a weak link by the media, but the mild-mannered off-spinner has been an effective performer for a number of years now.

As evidenced by the recent Ashes series where his conventional-looking deliveries managed to chisel out 16 English wickets for a cost of just 28.25.

In fact, Lyon has been so successful that, at the age of just 27 years old, he's already the 20th-highest wicket taker in Australia's Test cricket history.

3. Rangana Herath

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Tests: 63

Wickets: 278

Average: 30.21

Economy Rate: 2.77

He may have been dropped numerous times over his career, but, on a deteriorating pitch, there are few bowlers more difficult to face than Rangana Herath.

Relying on accuracy more than mystery and long spells rather than an instant impact, the Sri Lankan produces regular clutch performances, as evidenced by his haul of 22 five-wicket hauls from 114 innings of bowling.

At the age of 37, Herath might not have too many years left at the top, but Angelo Mathews will be hoping to squeeze a few more Tests out of his most reliable and economical bowler.

2. Yasir Shah

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Tests: 10

Wickets: 61

Average: 24.81

Economy Rate: 3.09

With 34 wickets already having been snared from just five Test matches in the current calendar year, Yasir Shah's meteoric rise shows no sign of abating.

Although he made his ODI debut in 2011, the 29-year-old leg spinner didn't play Test cricket until 2014, when an explosive seven-wicket haul against Australia introduced him to the big time.

A rapid arm action and metronomic control, honed from 14 years of graft on the Pakistan domestic circuit, make Shah difficult, but the next step is to perform in non-spin friendly countries.

1. Ravichandran Ashwin

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Tests: 28

Wickets: 145

Average: 28.44

Economy Rate: 3.00

After his most recent performances, Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been getting better and better ever since his Test debut in 2011, is currently sitting on top of the spinner's pile.

As 21 of Sri Lanka's players will testify—including 10 at Galle alone—having recently fallen to the off-spinner during India's successful recent visit.

While a six-foot-plus frame enables Ashwin to extract bounce and to vary his flight, the Tamil Nadu-born bowler also possesses a mixed bag of tricks and has the composure to use them under pressure.

Of course, he's had his ups and downs, and his performances outside of Asia have been fairly average, but, right here, right now, there are few other spinners you would want in your side.