Swing bowling is one of the most exciting arts in cricket for a bowler. It is the most important weapon for a bowler, which makes the game of cricket competitive. With the rules and playing conditions favoring batters more, the swing is something which can bring the fast bowlers into play. A fast bowler has to develop this skill to survive on the international stage.
And bowlers with conventional swing with the new ball and reverse swing with the old balls are regarded as among the best. This article is also related to this topic, where we will discuss the King of Swing in cricket. This list includes some legendary bowlers who dominated the opposition during their careers.
Who is the King of Swing in cricket?
10. Trent Boult (New Zealand)
The Kiwi superstar is one of the most skilled bowlers going around in the current era, and he is known for taking up wickets with the new ball. The left-arm pacer is very dangerous with the new ball because he swings it a lot. He has a natural swing for right-handers and then takes it away. He has one of the best strike rates in international cricket at 40, which is better than Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, and Courtney Walsh.
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9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)
Veteran Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar made the scene because of his ability to swing the ball both ways, and he showed it on his debut with 2/27, including three maidens in his first ODI. Bhuvi had brilliant control over his swing and swung the ball both ways. He was one of the best new ball bowlers around. He swung the ball on all surfaces, which was his greatest weapon.
8. James Anderson (England)
English conditions are perfect for swing bowling, and no one exploited those conditions better than James Anderson. The English pacer played international cricket for 22 years between 2022 and 2024, and his control over the swing was unparallel. He was also equally impressive on the subcontinent. Anderson retired with the third-most wickets overall and the most wickets by a seamer (991) in international cricket.
7. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
Swing with pace is a deadly combination, and Dale Steyn was one of the few bowlers that had this with him. The South African pacer made dance some of the greatest batters on his ball. Even the best batters, like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, or Ricky Ponting, have rated Steyn very highly. He took 699 wickets in 265 matches at a strike rate of 37, which is one of the best in cricket history.
6. Stuart Broad (England)
Stuart Broad made his international debut in 2006 and had a horrible moment at the start of his career when Yuvraj Singh smashed him for six consecutive sixes in the T20 World Cup 2007. But he worked hard and became one of the best pacers of all time. The former English pacer had a very simple action, but his ball used to swing a lot. And under conditions helpful for swing, he was unplayable. Broad retired with 847 runs in 344 matches.
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5. Zaheer Khan (India)
Zaheer Khan is from the generation when India were known for producing good seamers, but he was something else. The left-arm pacer went on to become one of the greatest bowlers that India produced in this game. He had the skills of swing and reverse swing both and he did it on even flat pitches in sub-continent, which is why he was great. Zaheer’s control with all three balls (SG, Duke and Kookaburra) was brilliant. He ended up with 610 wickets in 309 matches between 2000 and 2014.
4. Shaun Pollock (South Africa)
Former South African captain Shaun Pollock was a complete package. He used to bowl with new and old balls and also bat quiet well. But his primary skill was to swing the ball and take wickets. He was not express like other bowlers but had brilliant control of the swing, which made him a perfect partner with Allan Donald, and these two won many games as a bowling pair. Pollock played 423 matches between 1995 and 2008 and took 829 wickets.
3. Allan Donald (South Africa)
Allan Donald was South Africa’s first megastar after they made their comeback into cricket in 1991 after surviving the ban. He became the face of South Africa in international cricket. His pace and ability to swing earned him the nickname “White Lighting,” and he troubled the best of the best. He was too hot to handle in his prime and was unplayable. Donald played 236 matches between 1991 and 2003 and took 602 wickets at an average of 22.04, which is one of the best in cricket history.
2. Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Glenn McGrath is himself an institution of fast bowling. Without having much pace, his controlled line and length and his swing made him one of the greatest bowlers of all time. He was good at home and away as well. His bowling average of 21.76 is the best among the bowlers with 450 or more wickets in international cricket, which sums up his dominance. McGrath ended up with 949 wickets in 376 matches for Australia.
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1. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
Wasim Akram was one of the rare stars that the game has seen, and there will not be a bowler like him again. His career was a dream, and he lived it to the fullest. He was one of the first bowlers to bowl the reverse swing after mastering the art of swinging. That’s why he was famously known as the “Sultan of Swing” worldwide. He is rated as the best left-arm fast bowler of all time by great batters, and he swung it a long way. Akram played 460 matches between 1984 and 2003 and took 912 wickets.
