Doosra in Cricket: The Off-Spinner's Secret Weapon
The doosra is a variation delivery by off-spinners that turns away from the right-handed batsman — the opposite of the standard off-break — designed to deceive batsmen expecting the stock ball.
What Is the Doosra in Cricket?
The doosra (Urdu/Hindi for 'the other one') is a variation delivery bowled by off-spinners that turns in the opposite direction to the standard off-break. While the off-break turns into the right-handed batsman (from off to leg), the doosra turns away from the batsman — behaving like a leg-break, but bowled by a right-arm bowler.
How the Doosra Works
The doosra requires the off-spinner to rotate the wrist and change the grip so the ball spins in the opposite direction at release. Because the bowler's action looks the same as the standard off-break, batsmen find it very difficult to pick which way the ball will turn until it bounces.
Controversy Around the Doosra
Many off-spinners who bowl the doosra have been reported for suspect bowling actions — the ICC has identified that it is mechanically very difficult to bowl a legal doosra without flexing the elbow beyond the permitted 15-degree limit. Muttiah Muralitharan himself was investigated (and ultimately cleared), and several other bowlers have been banned while attempting it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the doosra in cricket?
The doosra is an off-spinner's variation that turns away from the right-handed batsman, opposite to the standard off-break.
Who invented the doosra?
Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan invented the doosra in the 1990s, calling it 'the other one' (doosra in Urdu).
Why is the doosra controversial?
Many bowlers cannot bowl a legal doosra within the ICC's 15-degree elbow-flexion limit, leading to action investigations and bans.