Former Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal He remains one of the most influential spin bowlers of the modern era. At his peak, Ajmal was almost unplayable, using a combination of sharp turn, subtle variations and consistent accuracy to dominate batsmen across all formats. Ajmal, who has over 400 international wickets to his name, played a key role in Pakistan’s success in the late 2000s and early 2010s, showing how spinners can control the game even outside traditional subcontinental conditions.
Changing demands of spinners in modern cricket
In today’s game, spin bowling has evolved further. With flat pitches, heavy bats and an aggressive batting mentality, modern spinners are required to be tactically astute rather than relying solely on turn. Flight, deception, change of pace and smart use of the crease have now become essential weapons. As T20 and ODI cricket increasingly dominates the calendar, spinners who can outwit the batsmen often become the difference between victory and defeat.
The Champions Playbook Podcast Speaking on, Ajmal shared his views on the art of spin bowling today and revealed his list of the top five spinners in modern cricket, praising those who mix intelligence with skill.
Saeed Ajmal reveals his top five spinners of the modern era
Ajmal started his list of Indian all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja Which highlights his immense value across all formats. Jadeja’s economical bowling, ability to apply pressure and ability to take important wickets have made him one of the most reliable spinners in world cricket. His fast left-arm spin, combined with excellent fielding and batting depth, makes him one of the most complete cricketers of the modern era.
At number two, Ajmal Kuldeep Yadav selected, expressed particular praise for the white-ball ability of the Indian wrist-spinner. Ajmal clearly said that Kuldeep is the best white-ball spinner in the game currently. He praised Kuldeep’s sharp turn, ability to move the ball in the air and his commitment to letting the ball fly—which Ajmal described as the hallmarks of intelligent bowling.
“The best white-ball spinner currently is Kuldeep Yadav. There’s no doubt about it, I love Kuldeep. He swings the ball hard and breaks it in the air. Even though Kuldeep is Indian, I want to see the best, and that’s why Kuldeep is at the top. Watch his videos; he works very hard to get the ball flying. That’s what is called intelligent bowling – bowling that doesn’t come easy on the bat, and that’s what Kuldeep does,” Ajmal said.
England’s leading leg-spinner adil rashid Ajmal was the next selection. The former Pakistan spinner praised Rashid’s variations and control, particularly his flipper, noting how effective Rashid is at generating deception using his body weight. Rashid’s consistency in ICC tournaments and bilateral series has established him as one of the finest limited-over spinners in the world.
“He is a good bowler, man, he bowls exceptionally well. His variations and flight are amazing. When he bowls the flipper, you can see how he uses his body weight with it,” Ajmal added.
Ajmal started his list with New Zealand michel santner and Australia’s adam zampa Completed in the name of. He praised Santner’s clever pace variations and control, which make him particularly effective in pressure situations. On Zampa, Ajmal gave a more balanced assessment, acknowledging his effectiveness and the role he played in Australia’s white-ball success.
“Santner is good, his pace variations are also fantastic. Zampa is fine,” Ajmal added.
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