KT Poll: Pakistan's Yasir Shah, not Ashwin, is world's best spinner

India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Pakistan's Yasir Shah

Dubai - Yasir Shah got 68 percent of the votes

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By KT Sports

Published: Fri 30 Sep 2016, 1:46 PM

Last updated: Mon 3 Oct 2016, 3:41 PM

Yes, we now have got the complete result. And we are delighted to announce that Khaleej Times readers have picked Pakistan's Yasir Shah as the best spinner in the world. 
We asked you to vote for your best slow bowler after legendary Indian player Erapalli Prasanna had rated Ravichandran Ashwin as the best spinner in cricket.
But our readers in the KT online poll picked Shah over Indian off-spinner Ashwin.
Shah (Tests 16, Wickets 95, Average 27.48) got 68 percent of the votes while Ashwin (Tests 37, Wickets 203, Average 25.06) received only 29 percent of the votes.
Veteran Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath (Tests 73, Wickets 332, Average 28.71) received three percent of the votes.
During India's first Test win against New Zealand, Ashwin became the fastest Indian bowler in history to reach 200 Test wickets.
But despite his phenomenal success on spin-friendly wickets in the sub-continent, Ashwin has struggled to make an impact on pitches that help fast bowlers.
In six Test matches in Australia so far, Ashwin has got only 21 wickets (average 54.71) and in England he has taken just three wickets at 33.66 in two Test matches in 2014. 
The Tamil Nadu off-spinner failed to get a single wicket in the only Test match he played in South Africa, despite bowling 42 overs in that drawn match in Johannesburg. 
Yasir Shah, on the other hand, has yet play in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. 
But the leg-spinner played a key role in Pakistan's memorable Test series in England. 

His 10 wickets in the Lord's Test gave Pakistan a famous 75-run win. In the second and third Test matches, Shah struggled to maintain the same level as Pakistan lost those two matches.
But the leg-spinner was back with a bang in the fourth Test as his five-wicket haul in the second innings helped Pakistan win by 10 wickets.
Now you know why Shane Warne, who knows a thing or two about taking wickets on unresponsive pitches, rates Yasir Shah so highly. 
After sharing a few tips with Sah in Sharjah last year, Warne said: "I have always been a fan since the first time I saw him a while ago. He is probably the best leg-spinner in the world, the way the ball comes out of his hand. So it was a fantastic opportunity to work with Yasir. He is a wonderful bowler" 
And KT readers definitely agree with the legendary Australian spinner.

KT Sports

Published: Fri 30 Sep 2016, 1:46 PM

Last updated: Mon 3 Oct 2016, 3:41 PM

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