For Graeme Swann, the last couple of years, and especially the current one, have been nothing short of outstanding. Quite clearly, his stats during this period have established him as the best spinner in the game today. With Muttiah Muralitharan, the last of the three spin giants from the previous decade - Shane Warne and Anil Kumble being the others - retiring from Tests, there's a huge hole waiting to be filled, and Swann has staked his claim much more strongly than the others.
Since January 2009 Swann has performed superbly in all three forms of the game: in 22 Tests he has taken 105 wickets - the only bowler with a 100-plus tally - an average of almost five per Test; in ODIs during this period his record is equally impressive, with 41 wickets in 28 matches at an economy rate of less than four-and-a-half and a strike rate of a wicket every 30 deliveries. In 17 Twenty20 internationals during this period he has averaged less than 15 runs per wicket and 6.45 runs per over. Those are pretty compelling numbers in terms of excellence and consistency across formats.
One of the biggest criticisms levelled at the current generation of spinners is that they lack in wicket-taking ability, but Swann clearly bucks that trend. Murali, Warne and Kumble were known for being attacking, and Swann, in his relatively brief career so far, has taken the same aggressive route, even in formats of the game that call for a high level of defensive skills. The current year has been especially rewarding, with 28 wickets in 14 ODIs, 19 in 11 Twenty20 internationals - he was one of the architects of England's World Twenty20 triumphs - and 51 in 10 Tests.
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