Keshav Maharaj became the first South African spinner to pass 300 wickets across international formats on Tuesday.
Independent Media profiles the five best spinners to have played for South Africa.
No 1: Keshav Maharaj 2016-2025
Innings: 187, Overall Wickets: 304, Tests: 203, ODIs: 63, T20s: 38, 5+ wicket hauls: 12
South Africa’s best-ever all-format spinner has continuously defied his critics. Pigeon-holed initially as a Test specialist, Maharaj elevated himself to the No 1 ODI bowler on the ICC global rankings, whilst also developing his game further to earn contracts in the various T20 Leagues around the world.
No 2: Imran Tahir 2011-2019
Innings: 176, Overall Wickets: 291, Tests: 57, ODIs: 173, T20s: 63, 5+ wicket hauls: 7
The Lahore-born leg-spinner was a white-ball supremo that earned the adulation of the South African public not only through his charismatic celebrations, but also his world-class ability with the ball with his trademark googly flummoxing the opposition batters.
At 45-years-old, Tahir is still a T20 League globetrotter, most notably in the Caribbean Premier League where he captains the champions, Guyana Amazon Warriors.
No 3: Nicky Boje 1995-2006
Innings: 179, Overall Wickets: 197, Tests: 100, ODIs: 96, T20s: 1, 5+ wicket hauls: 4
A versatile allrounder who contributed significantly with the bat too, especially in ODI’s. The left-arm spinner’s crowning moment was during the second Test against India in 2000 when he claimed 5/83 to bowl South Africa to a mammoth innings and 71-run victory. It paved the way for the Proteas’ only ever Test series win in India.
No 4: Hugh Tayfield 1949-1960
Innings: 61, Overall Wickets: 170 Tests: 170, ODIs: -, T20s: -, 5+ wicket hauls: 14
The lanky off-spinner was South Africa’s No 1 spinner prior to the sanctions being imposed due to Apartheid in 1970. He was not a particularly big turner off the ball, but was exceptionally accurate.
No 5: Tabraiz Shamsi 2016-2025
Innings: 126, Overall Wickets: 168 Tests: 6, ODIs: 73, T20s: 89, 5+ wicket hauls: 2
The left-arm wrist spinner had to wait a lengthy period for his chance while Imran Tahir was in possession of South Africa’s specialist spinner’s role. Unlike Tahir though, who was fairly conventional, Shamsi possessed a bag of tricks that ultimately saw him succeed his teacher.
Primarily a white-ball specialist, and most effective in T20s, Shamsi rose to the No 1 on the ICC rankings in the short format for a period of time.
He was eventually handed a Test debut in South Africa’s sole pink-ball day-night Test in Australia, but continued to be much-sought after in T20 Leagues around the world.
