Mostly, all of us might have visited a cricket match, on the onboarding stadium of high applause and blisters. If not, you might have seen it in the matches either on the television, mobile phones, smartphones, or other devices, whichever you are convenient with. While watching the game, have you ever watched the bowler and the way they trick the batter from being out?

It involves techniques and also requires massive sports training to unlock this skill. Yet different bowlers use different bowling techniques to overpower the batter, and do you know what they are all? I guess No. So, let's unravel that mystery in this blog, where I have discussed the different types of bowling in cricket. So read the blog till the end to know more.

What are the Different Types of Bowling in Cricket?

Bowlers use different techniques to outdo the batters. Especially while bowling, they use multiple techniques to trick the batter into missing the ball. However, for a better improvement in your bowling and batting techniques, joining a sports community can help you better.

Spin Bowling:

In the spin bowling technique, the bowler imparts a spin while bowling against the batter. It is different from pace bowling, where the main focus is given to the spin rather than the pace. However, there are several types of spin bowling.

  • Off Spin

Off-spin bowling is a type of bowling technique in which the bowler spins the ball all on the off-side of the batsman (the right side). This technique is usually used for right-handed batters. In this technique, the ball hits the ground and moves toward the batter, and if the bowler is successful, the batter misses the ball and gets out.

  • Top Spinner

The top spinner is a bowling technique in which the ball moves forward with a spin toward the batsman. As the ball moves forward toward the batter's direction, it bounces higher and higher or dips unexpectedly, making it harder for the batsman to hit the ball.

  • Doosra

Unlike off-spin bowling, doosra is delivered on the leg side of the batter, making it challenging to hit the ball. Doosra is the best strategy to outbeat the bowler, making it difficult to anticipate the bowler.

  • Carrom Ball 

Remember how you hit the carrom coin? It is similar to that. It usually involves the use of the middle finger and the thumb finger, like in the carrom. Similarly, it is done here.

In this type of bowling, the bowler flicks the ball by the spinning motion generated through the fingers. Here, the bowler uses all his fingers to impart a spin on the ball. The carrom ball can move in any direction, confusing the bowler to make a hit.

  • Arm Ball

In arm ball bowling, the bowler uses the index and thumb fingers to throw the ball. There is no spin involved, and the batsman is straight with a swing and a wobble around.

  • Leg Spin

Leg spin is considered one of the best parts of all bowling techniques. If you have a person in your team who is the best leg spinner, it is worth more than gold. In this type of bowling, the bowler uses the wrist to give a spin to the ball. Here, the bowler flicks the ball with their wrist by turning the ball.

  • Googly

Googly is a bowling technique that involves a leg spinner and is delivered with a leg-spinning action. Googly usually spins in the opposite direction, which the batsman expects. Here, the players excel when they overgo towards the batter's expectation, that is, playing on the alternative sides of their expectations, making them deceptive and confusing the batsman, often resulting in the wrong shot or missing the ball altogether.

  • Flicker

A flicker is similar to that of a carrom bowling that involves unexpected spin. It involves a tight grip between the thumb and the index finger that causes unpredictable delivery and moves in many directions.

Pace Bowling

In the pace bowling technique, the bowler throws the ball at a higher speed to intimidate the batsman and prevent him from hitting the ball further. However, pace bowling involves two categories, from the pace bowlers to the medium pace bowlers, so that they can overtake the bowler's expectations.

  • Yorker

This technique involves throwing the ball right at the front of the batter's feet or at the base of the stump, and this makes it very difficult for the batsman to hit the ball, leading to the batsman's failure.

  • Bouncer

A bouncer is a bowling technique in which the bowler delivers the ball at head height, making it difficult for the batter to predict the delivery. The ball is pitched short on the pitch, allowing it to rise upwards. However, the umpire restricts the number of short deliveries by the bowler in the match to a certain limit.

  • Leg Cutter

Leg cutter is a technique of bowling that involves the application of the leg spinner grip while throwing the ball at pace. It also involves a movement that moves along the leg side to the off-side right-handed batter. This technique might deceive the batters and prevent them from batting.

  • Off Cutter

An off-cutter is a type of bowling that delivers the ball fast and with a side spin. When the bowler applies a side spin, the ball moves towards the off-side after pitching.

  • Slow Ball 

A slow ball is a bowling technique that arrives at a slower pace than the batter. It is a trick used to trick the batter's prediction at the slightest pace.

Swing Bowling

Swing Bowling techniques make the ball swing in the air laterally, tricking him into preventing the hit or making him hit the century. The technique involves the physics of aerodynamic properties, making it move from one side to another.

  • Reverse Swing

In the reverse swing, the ball moves in opposite directions from the normal swing, which usually happens with older balls.

  • Seam Bowling

Bowling the ball so that it reaches the land perpendicular to the pitch. Many bowlers usually use a variety of different deliveries, swings, and seams to try and vary their bowling.

Frequently Asked Questions on Types of Bowling in Cricket:

How are bowlers placed in a cricket match?

The bowlers are placed on the exact opposite of the bowlers so that they can deliver them with precise balls in the match. However, there are several types of bowling in cricket that the bowlers use in the game.

List out some of the excellent bowlers from India.

Some of the excellent Indian bowlers are Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan, Mohammad Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Javgal Srinath, etc.

What are the different techniques used for bowling?

The different bowling techniques involve wrist spin, finger spin, swing bowling, pace bowling, etc.

To conclude, different types of bowling in cricket add fun to the game. After all, it is not just a game but a celebration of skill, teamwork, and the enduring spirit of competition.

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