Inswinger in Cricket: The Ball That Curves Into the Batsman
An inswinger is a delivery that curves in the air from off side toward the batsman's body or leg stump, threatening LBW and inside edges onto the stumps.
What Is an Inswinger in Cricket?
An inswinger is a delivery that curves through the air from off side toward the leg side — moving into the right-handed batsman's body. It is the opposite of an outswinger. The inswinger primarily threatens to: trap the batsman LBW (hitting the pads in front of the stumps), induce an inside edge onto the stumps, or hit the stumps directly if the batsman misses.
How the Inswinger Is Bowled
- Shiny side of ball positioned on the leg side (toward the batsman)
- Seam angled toward the leg side at the point of release
- Bowler's action slightly 'closed' — body angled toward fine leg at delivery
- Generally requires good atmospheric conditions (overcast/humid) to work consistently
Inswinger vs Outswinger
| Feature | Inswinger | Outswinger |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Toward batsman's body | Away from batsman |
| Primary threat | LBW and bowled | Caught behind / edge to slips |
| Shiny side | Toward leg side | Toward off side |
| Wicket type | LBW, bowled, edge to leg | Edge to slips/gully |
Famous Inswing Bowlers
Wasim Akram was famous for devastating late inswingers that bowled batsmen at full pace. Jasprit Bumrah's yorker that inswingers at 145+ km/h has become one of modern cricket's most feared weapons. James Anderson swings the ball both ways including the inswinger with great accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
What is an inswinger in cricket?
An inswinger is a delivery that curves through the air from off side toward the batsman's body (leg side), threatening LBW and bowled.
How is an inswinger different from an outswinger?
An inswinger moves toward the batsman's body; an outswinger moves away from the batsman toward the slips.
Which is more dangerous — inswinger or outswinger?
Both are dangerous, but inswingers more often lead to LBW and bowled wickets, while outswingers more often lead to edges to slips and gully.