The Teesra — Cricket's Mystery Spin Variation
Learn what the teesra is, how it differs from the doosra and off-break, and why it has been so controversial in professional cricket.
What is the teesra?
The teesra — Urdu for 'the third one' — is a mystery delivery attributed to Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq, who claimed to have added it to his armoury alongside the off-break and the doosra. While the off-break turns into the right-hander and the doosra goes away, the teesra is said to go straight on without any perceptible change in action, making it extraordinarily difficult to read.
How does it differ from the doosra?
The doosra turns away from the right-hander — the opposite of an off-break. The teesra, by contrast, produces no turn at all and instead skids on with extra pace off the surface. The deception lies in the identical release and arm action: a batter who has been watching for turn is caught playing across a straight ball. The name 'third one' explicitly positions it as the third weapon in an off-spinner's variation arsenal.
Why is it controversial?
The teesra sits at the intersection of genius and legality. Both the doosra and teesra are suspected to require a degree of elbow extension beyond the 15-degree threshold permitted by ICC's bowling-action regulations. Saqlain himself was reported for a suspect action during his career, and any bowler seeking to replicate these deliveries risks scrutiny. The bowling-action debate that surrounded Muttiah Muralitharan and Saeed Ajmal partly centred on whether these mystery variations are biomechanically achievable within legal limits.
Legacy in modern cricket
The concept of the teesra — a delivery that looks identical to a turning ball but goes straight — has influenced how batting coaches prepare players against off-spin. Modern batters are drilled to pick up cues from the seam position and finger pressure rather than relying solely on the wrist, precisely because bowlers like Saqlain demonstrated how easily the eye can be deceived.