Different Types of Off-Spin Bowling Variations – Explained

Off-spin has played a vital role, just like the leg spin in cricket, and with time, the techniques and gripping of the ball have led to new innovations in off-spin.

After the introduction of T20 cricket, there has been modernization in off-spin, just like in leg-spin and pace bowling in modern-day cricket.

Off spinners tend to fox the batters with flight, turn, and bounce, just like leg spinners, but wickets also play a crucial role when it comes to how much the ball can turn once it lands.

What is Off-Spin?

An off-spinner is also called a finger spinner, as he uses his fingers to grip the ball and apply variations to it while delivering the ball.

The off-break delivery is one of the most used by an off-spinner. The off-spin moves from left to right after landing. When it is bowled to a right-handed batter, it turns to his leg side, while for a left-hander, it turns towards his off side.

Off-spinners utilise the off-break so that they can adjust the length and line, which makes it easy for them to land the ball where they want.

Most importantly, whether it is a leg spinner or an off-spinner, he/she should be able to adjust the length, line, flight, and bounce to fox the batters depending on the wicket.

Variations of Off-Spin

An off-spinner should apply variations; otherwise, if he/she continues to bowl a predictable length, then it would be easy for the batters to play against them. An off-spinner should always rely on variety and skill to add that surprising feature to his/her bowling.

Here, we take a look at some variations in off-spin:

1. Arm Ball

When the ball is released while bowling an arm ball, the ball goes straight after the ball is pitched, thus forcing the batter to play the wrong line. The batter thinks it is an off-spin delivery, but it goes straight in the direction of the arm after landing.

2. Doosra

The ‘Doosra’ turns from the leg side to the off side for a right-handed batter, while for a left-handed batter, it turns the other way.

Off-spinners use doosra to outsmart the batters, and the batter ends up reading doosra as a plain off-spin delivery by playing against the line, thus not timing the shot cleanly. The batters get outfoxed by attempting to play it as an off-spin delivery.

Also Read | Ten Best Doosra Bowlers in Cricket

3. Top Spinner

A top spin delivery is used by the wrist spinner as well as the finger spinner, in which the ball is delivered from the top of the fingers as the ball turns forward with little spin, thus darting and drifting towards the batter.

While bowling a top spin delivery, off-spinners try to land the ball on or outside the off stump while the batter expects the ball to turn but is caught up playing the wrong line.

4. Carrom Ball

Arguably one of the most resourceful deliveries for any off-spinner in modern-day game, the carrom ball is just like flicking a disc on a carrom board as the ball is flicked by the fingers. A carrom ball can travel straight, and turn on the leg or the off side, depending on the grip.

Former Sri Lankan off-spinner Ajantha Mendis rediscovered the carrom ball in 2008 after it was forgotten during the 1970s and 80s. India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also used the carrom ball cleverly.

Read Next | Leg Side Fielding Rules in Cricket