List of Left Arm Spinners Troubling Indian Batsmen in Test Matches in last 15 years

India will be playing a two match test series as a part of the WTC 2025-27 cycle against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. In recent times, India have been troubled by left arm spinners like Mitchell Santner, Steve O’Keefe and Keshav Maharaj.

With spin friendly pitches and a premium left arm orthodox spin bowler with a brilliant record in test matches, Sri Lanka seems to have just the right combination to trouble the touring Indian team.

The bowler that we are talking about is Prabhat Jayasuriya, who is known as the King of Galle for his outstanding record in Galle. Jayasuriya has taken 125 wickets in 23 Test matches, and 81 of these wickets have come in Galle.

So the Indian batting lineup will be put to the test in the test match series against Sri Lanka in spinner friendly conditions.

Left Arm Spinners That Have Troubled Indian Batsmen in Test Matches in Last 15 Years

Indian batsmen have frequently found themselves exposed to left arm spinners in test matches. Let us look at the list of left arm spinners who have troubled the Indian batsmen in test matches over the last 15 years.

1. Monty Panesar, England, 2012

Monty Panesar was the wrecker in chief during the famous series win by England in 2012-13, where he took 17 wickets in 3 matches. He got Sachin Tendulkar out twice in the Wankhede Test finishing with figures of 11/195 in the match. England secured a 10-wicket win in that match. Monty Panesar was ably supported by Graeme Swann.

2. Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka, 2015

Rangana Herath dismantled the Indian batting line up in the Galle Test in 2015 when he took 7/48 in the fourth innings to dismiss India for 112 runs to secure a famous win for Sri Lanka.

3. Steve O'Keefe, Australia, 2017

Steve O'Keefe, recorded produced a masterclass in left arm spin bowling en route to taking 12 wickets for 70 runs across two innings in the 2017 test match between India and Australia in Pune. Based on his excellent bowling, Australia achieved a 333 run victory. O’Keefe’s record was the best figures by a visiting spinner in India at that time.

It was broken by Ajaz Patel in 2021 when he took 14/225 against India in Wankhede Stadium.

4. Ajaz Patel, New Zealand, 2021

Ajaz Patel of New Zealand created history when he became only the third bowler in the history of test cricket to take 10 wicket in an innings after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble. He recorded the best bowling figures by a visiting bowler in India in the Wankhedede test match in 2021, returning with a figure of 14/225 in the match. 

5. Matthew Kuhnemann, Australia, 2023

Mathew Kuhnemann added to the list of left arm spinners who have troubled the Indian batsmen during the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2023, when took 5/16 against India in Indore to give Aussies a victory.

6. Tom Hartley, England, 2024

Tom Hartley selected for the England tour of India in 2024, impressed with his bowling abilities by bowling out India in the 4th innings in Hyderabad in 2024. India in pursuit of 231 runs were bowled out for 202, thereby handing England a 28 run victory.

7. Mitchell Santner, New Zealand, 2024

The most remarkable bowling display by a left arm spinner on display in the last few years was by Mitchell Santner, who single handedly dismantled the famed Indian batting line up during the Pune test match in 2024. He returned with the figures of 13/157 in the match and New Zealand performed a clean sweep of the series, defeating India 3-0, their first ever whitewash in India.

8. Keshav Maharaj, South Africa, 2025

Keshav Maharaj continued the template set off by Mitchell Santner and troubled Indian batsmen during the drubbing of India by South Africa in their 2025 tour. Although he did not pick up many wickets, he bowled tight spells that created pressure leading to loss of wickets.

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