Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who is currently in Australia to cover the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as a commentator, overlooked Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Harbhajan Singh when he was asked to name his top-three Indian spinners of all time.
Ashwin is India’s second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, claiming 536 wickets in 105 matches so far. On the other hand, Harbhajan finished his Test career with 417 wickets from 103 matches while Jadeja has picked up 319 scalps in 77 five-day games thus far.
However, Shastri took the names of Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, and Anil Kumble when asked about his top-three Indian spinners.
During a Fox Sports show, Shastri explained the reason behind his picks. “I’ll say the one I’ve seen the latest. That’s why I put a three. It has to be Anil Kumble. He was lethal, especially in our conditions. He was relentless. He was a competitor. It was not just bowling in India. He would bowl his heart out wherever he played across the globe. And to take over 600 wickets is no mean achievement,” he said.
“No. 2 spinner has to be Prasanna. I saw him towards the end of his career. But then, you know, he came out even as manager of the team to Australia, and he would bowl a lot in the nets. The deception that he had—he could make the ball drop, he could hold it back at any stage—bowled some great lines. He bowled in the nets and would get all the top guys out because he had this ability. He had this floater, which was like a backspin delivery, not the doosra. So, it was like with his hands, he would flick it backwards, come backwards in pitch, and then leave the bat, you know, and get the off stumps," he added.
“No. 1 has to be Bishan (Bedi). No question, poetry in motion. That kind of action you’ll give anything for," Shastri further remarked.
Bedi represented India in 67 Test matches and took 266 wickets whereas Prasanna dismissed 189 batters in 49 Tests. Kumble, on the other hand, accounted for the dismissal of 619 batters in 132 Tests, which is the most by an Indian.
