The Carrom Ball and Mystery Spin Variations in Cricket
The carrom ball, doosra, teesra and other mystery spin variations have transformed spin bowling. This guide explains how each delivery works, which bowlers developed them, and why they are so difficult to pick from hand.
Mystery spin refers to deliveries bowled by finger-spinners or wrist-spinners that turn in an unexpected direction — the opposite to the batter's expectation based on their reading of the hand position and grip. The carrom ball, doosra, teesra and flipper are the most famous mystery spin deliveries, each created by different grip and release mechanisms that disguise the direction of spin until late in the delivery path, making them extremely difficult to pick.
The Carrom Ball
The carrom ball is delivered by flicking the ball with the middle finger (and occasionally index finger) clicking against the thumb — similar to the movement used to flick a carrom piece in the board game of the same name. Depending on finger position, the carrom ball can be made to turn either way — left or right, like a top-spinner or an off-break — from essentially the same grip. The primary exponent of the carrom ball was Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis, who took 26 wickets in his debut Test series in 2008 using the delivery. India's Ravichandran Ashwin also uses a carrom ball variation.
The Doosra
The doosra ('the second one' in Urdu/Hindi) is an off-spinner's delivery that turns away from the right-handed batter — the opposite direction to the standard off-break. It was developed and popularised by Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq in the late 1990s. The doosra requires the bowler to turn the wrist over at delivery, which has led to controversy about whether it can be bowled legally (without flexing the elbow beyond the 15-degree limit). Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Denmark's off-spinner Ishant Sharma have faced scrutiny over doosra bowling actions.
The Flipper and Teesra
The flipper (used by leg-spinners) is squeezed out of the front of the hand with backspin, skidding low and fast — the opposite trajectory to a normal leg-break. Shane Warne's flipper trapped many batters expecting a turning delivery. The teesra ('the third one') is a further variation developed by Saqlain Mushtaq that combines elements of the off-break and doosra — its exact mechanical difference from the doosra remains debated by coaches and analysts.
Frequently asked questions
What makes mystery spin 'mysterious'?
Mystery spin is 'mysterious' because the bowler disguises the direction of spin so effectively that the batter cannot pick the delivery from their hand, wrist position or run-up — all the normal cues batters use to read spin. A carrom ball bowler can turn the ball left or right from near-identical grip positions, forcing the batter to play purely on feel and reflex rather than pre-planned footwork.
Is the doosra legal to bowl?
The legality of the doosra is contested. Under ICC rules, all bowlers are allowed a maximum of 15 degrees of elbow flexion. Several doosra bowlers have been reported for suspect actions and some have been banned from bowling the delivery after biomechanical testing. Others have cleared tests. Off-spinners who bowl the doosra legally (staying within 15 degrees) do so with an unusually flexible wrist rather than elbow bend.