West Indies great Brian Lara has named Shane Warne as the greatest leg-spinner of all time ahead of Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. While Murali is the leading wicket-taker in Tests with 800 victims, Warne is second with 708 in 145 Tests. Lara’s pronouncement is based on experience, as he found both hard to deal with on the game’s biggest platforms.
On The Overlap Cricket podcast, Brian Lara confessed Murali “put more pressure on me than Shane.” He recalled surviving the initial onslaught of bewildering spin, interspersed by defensive sweeps to deep backwards square, wondering if the ball was inside or outside leg stump. This doubt ceased when fielders were intentionally repositioned for him.
ALSO READ: Andre Russell Announces International Retirement: Maroon Legend To Bid Farewell At Home
He likened that to being tested by Shane Warne. Brian Lara described how, when tested by Shane, the middle of the bat was struck more frequently, making him overconfident, before Warne produced a “magical delivery or spell” in the latter part of the innings, obtaining a degree of mental dominance over him.
“He’s the best!” ⭐
Brian Lara on facing the legendary bowling of Muralitharan and Warne 🏏 pic.twitter.com/3IzUdhUy7p
— Stick to Cricket (@StickToCricket) July 16, 2025
Brian Lara noted the challenge Warne had bowling in Australian conditions, where pace bowlers like McGrath and McDermott had traditionally thrived. To capture over 700 Test wickets in those conditions, Lara argued, requires great skill and resilience of mind—a superiority, he believed, which justifies Warne being rated higher than Murali.
WATCH – Bizarre Hit Wicket: Wessly Madhevere’s Freak Dismissal Shocks Zimbabwe
Muttiah Muralitaharan holds the record for the most Test and international wickets overall (1,347 across formats), while Shane Warne ranks second with a total of 1,001. Yet Lara’s assessment doesn’t hinge on raw numbers alone—it recognises the context of where, when, and how Warne took his wickets. For Lara, it’s not just about figures—it’s about mental warfare in the crease. Shane Warne’s ability to control minds and outsmart batters gives him the number one position in Lara’s cricket hierarchy as the greatest spin wizard.
