Is Simon Harmer the best visiting spinner in India? Stats reveal dominance in elite list

Mayank

Simon Harmer picked 17 wickets in two matches in India, 2025 [Source- SPORTYVISHAL/X.com]Simon Harmer picked 17 wickets in two matches in India, 2025 [Source- SPORTYVISHAL/X.com]

Player of the series in South Africa's tour of India 2025, Simon Harmer, was by far the best visiting spinner in India in the past few years, showing his speed variations, making the ball dip and turn at will and making batters commit mistakes throughout the two Tests.

As the Proteas finished a historic 2-0 series win in India, Harmer added his name to a legendary list of spinners with the best average in India.

Below is the breakdown of the top-5 visiting spinners in India, based on average. (min. 10 wickets)

5. Richie Benaud - 52 wickets at 18.38

The former Australia captain visited India twice in 1956 and 1959/60. The leg-spinner finished as top-wicket taker on both occasions and accumulated 52 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 1.94, averaging 18.38, with five five-wicket hauls to his name. His best bowling figures of 7/72 came in Chennai, 1956.

4. Hedly Howarth - 12 wickets at 18.16

The New Zealand left-arm orthodox bowler Howarth was a part of the Kiwi squad to India in 1969, when he played three matches and picked 12 wickets, at an average of 18.16. In the series draw, he picked a five-wicket haul in New Zealand's 167-run win in Nagpur and finished at an economy rate of just 1.73.

3. Malcolm Hilton - 11 wickets at 17.54

In a drawn 1952 Test series, Hilton played two matches and scalped 11 wickets in 3 innings, averaging only 17.54. In England's only win of the series in Kanpur, the left-arm bowler picked 4/32 (22.5) and 5/61 (32) as the best match figures of his career.

Interestingly, 11 of his 14 career wickets came in this series, and he finished his career with just 4 Test caps.

2. Hedley Verity - 23 wickets at 16.82

Another left-arm spinner in the list, Hedley Verity, wreaked havoc in England's tour of India in 1933/34, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker, with 23 wickets in 6 innings at an average of 16.82.

He picked 10 wickets in Chennai, with 7/49 (23.5) and 4/104 (27.2) and subsequently went on to guide the Englishmen to a 2-0 series victory. He finished the series with a total of three four-fers.

1. Simon Harmer- 27 wickets at 15.03

The Proteas off-spinner travelled to India twice, in 2015 and 2025. On both occasions, he was one of the spinners who had India on the strings. He took 10 wickets in two Tests that he played in their 3-0 series loss, before signing a Kolpak deal.

Upon his international return and subsequent India tour of 2025, he played the most crucial role in helping his team to whitewash the hosts and win a series on Indian soil in 25 years.

The 36-year-old finished as the top wicket-taker and player of the series with 17 wickets in two Tests, averaging just 8.94. With his career best figures of 6/37, he finished his India adventure with 27 wickets at an incredible average of 15.03 and an economy of just 2.49.