The Doosra, Carrom Ball and Teesra Explained
A guide to the most innovative spin bowling variations — the doosra, carrom ball, teesra, and flipper — what they are and how they deceive batters.
Beyond the standard off-break and leg-break, spin bowlers have developed a series of deceptive deliveries that turn the opposite way to what batters expect, or that don't turn at all but deceive with pace variation. These variations are among the most technically demanding in cricket and require years to master.
The Doosra
The doosra (Urdu for 'the other one') is an off-spinner's delivery that turns the opposite way — away from a right-handed batter, like a leg-break — while appearing from the hand like a normal off-break. Saqlain Mushtaq is credited with developing and naming it in the late 1990s; Muttiah Muralitharan mastered it. The doosra requires unusual wrist and finger position, which some argue involves a degree of arm flexion at delivery — the ICC has permitted a 15-degree elbow straightening tolerance for all deliveries. Batters find it extremely difficult to pick as there are few visual cues to distinguish it from a normal off-break.
The Carrom Ball
The carrom ball is gripped between the thumb, index, and middle fingers — like flicking a carrom piece in the board game of the same name. On release, the ball is flicked sideways, imparting side-spin rather than over-spin or back-spin. It can go either way depending on the angle of the flick. Indian spinner Ajantha Mendis used a variation of it to devastating effect in the 2008 Asia Cup; Ravichandran Ashwin has also used carrom ball grips as part of his variation arsenal.
The Teesra and Flipper
- Teesra (Urdu: 'the third one') — claimed by Saqlain Mushtaq; details disputed; thought to go straight on with deceptive flight
- Flipper — a leg-spinner's variation gripped with the thumb and first two fingers, clicking the ball forward rather than spinning it; it skids quickly off the pitch without turning
- Wrong'un (Googly) — well known; leg-break that turns the opposite way (covered under standard spin bowling)
- Zooter — Shane Warne's name for a back-spinning delivery that slid straight on without turning
Frequently asked questions
How does a batter identify a doosra?
Elite batters look for subtle cues: the seam position at release, the angle of the wrist, and the flight of the ball. The doosra tends to dip slightly later due to the different rotation imparted. Some batters follow the spin off the pitch rather than trying to pick it from the hand. Against the best doosra bowlers (Muralitharan, Saqlain), many elite Test batters simply could not consistently pick it — which is why the delivery is so feared.