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Home / Sports / Cricket / Photos / IPL: Have you seen these 11 weirdest bowling styles?

IPL: Have you seen these 11 weirdest bowling styles?

Updated On: 18 March, 2022 01:58 PM IST |

As the IPL 2022 edition of the cash-rich tournament is just round the corner, beginning on March 26, we take a look at those bowlers who have played in the Indian Premier League through the years and share a `strange` bowling trait. Here are some bowlers to have played in the Indian Premier League and who also have what has been described as unique styles of delivering the ball.

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As the IPL 2022 edition of the cash-rich tournament is just round the corner, beginning on March 26, we take a look at those bowlers who have played in the Indian Premier League through the years and share a `strange` bowling trait. Here are some bowlers to have played in the Indian Premier League and who also have what has been described as unique styles of delivering the ball.

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As the IPL 2022 edition of the cash-rich tournament is just round the corner, beginning on March 26, we take a look at those bowlers who have played in the Indian Premier League through the years and share a `strange` bowling trait. Here are some bowlers to have played in the Indian Premier League and who also have what has been described as unique styles of delivering the ball.

Sunil Narine developed the reputation of being a `mystery bowler` due to the variations he had to his off-breaks, and how he disguised them. He also gripped the ball differently from other more conventional spinners. But he was reported for illegal bowling action and has now remodelled his action. With the straighter arm action, the Kolkata Knight Riders veteran is not getting his old zip and turn which off the pitch as he used to earlier. However, he is one of the most effective and experience bowlers in IPL.

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Sunil Narine developed the reputation of being a `mystery bowler` due to the variations he had to his off-breaks, and how he disguised them. He also gripped the ball differently from other more conventional spinners. But he was reported for illegal bowling action and has now remodelled his action. With the straighter arm action, the Kolkata Knight Riders veteran is not getting his old zip and turn which off the pitch as he used to earlier. However, he is one of the most effective and experience bowlers in IPL.

Mumbai Indians star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has a very unusual bowling action. He delivers from wide of the crease. Bumrah also has a rare hyper-extension shoulder like former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akthar. He uses this to his advantage and combined with his unorthodox whippy delivery action, inward tilted high-arm action and rapid bowling-arm speed, he falls into the category of bowlers with unique actions and is difficult to read.

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Mumbai Indians star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has a very unusual bowling action. He delivers from wide of the crease. Bumrah also has a rare hyper-extension shoulder like former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akthar. He uses this to his advantage and combined with his unorthodox whippy delivery action, inward tilted high-arm action and rapid bowling-arm speed, he falls into the category of bowlers with unique actions and is difficult to read.

Former Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga is known as Slinger Malinga because of his unique sling action. He releases the ball in front of the umpire`s chest. Malinga is an authentic roundarm. There are some who question the legality of his action, but it is legal because his arm does not straighten from a bent position as he bowls.

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Former Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga is known as Slinger Malinga because of his unique sling action. He releases the ball in front of the umpire`s chest. Malinga is an authentic roundarm. There are some who question the legality of his action, but it is legal because his arm does not straighten from a bent position as he bowls.

Former Punjab leg-spinner KC Cariappa started out as a fast-bowling all-rounder before he switched to spin. He bowls with an orthodox round-arm action and his leg break is his regular delivery. He has variations like the googly and the faster ball. He also bowls off-spinners without changing the grip. Cariappa, whose stock delivery includes a carrom ball and a back of the hand googly, started playing with a tennis ball and picked up the leather ball only when he was 17. Cariappa played for the Bijapur Bulls in the Karnataka Premier League in 2014. Cariappa is currently part of the Rajasthan Royals team for IPL 2022.

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Former Punjab leg-spinner KC Cariappa started out as a fast-bowling all-rounder before he switched to spin. He bowls with an orthodox round-arm action and his leg break is his regular delivery. He has variations like the googly and the faster ball. He also bowls off-spinners without changing the grip. Cariappa, whose stock delivery includes a carrom ball and a back of the hand googly, started playing with a tennis ball and picked up the leather ball only when he was 17. Cariappa played for the Bijapur Bulls in the Karnataka Premier League in 2014. Cariappa is currently part of the Rajasthan Royals team for IPL 2022.

Former RCB and Punjab Kings leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin bowls an impressively disguised googly. Ashwin bowls with a very straight arm like Anil Kumble. The Chennai born cricketer was a net bowler with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IN 2017 before he was picked by IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiant. He also went on to play for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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Former RCB and Punjab Kings leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin bowls an impressively disguised googly. Ashwin bowls with a very straight arm like Anil Kumble. The Chennai born cricketer was a net bowler with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IN 2017 before he was picked by IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiant. He also went on to play for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The Rajasthan Royals found Kamran Khan in 2008 - the tennis-ball cricketer with no first-class experience. He later played for Pune Warriors India. Kamran was also pulled up for chucking by a Maharashtra Cricket Association umpire during a league match in 2010. He was called Tornado by legendary spinner, the late Shane Warne.

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The Rajasthan Royals found Kamran Khan in 2008 - the tennis-ball cricketer with no first-class experience. He later played for Pune Warriors India. Kamran was also pulled up for chucking by a Maharashtra Cricket Association umpire during a league match in 2010. He was called Tornado by legendary spinner, the late Shane Warne.

Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir gained fame for his unorthodox bowling action. The left-arm pacer turned out for Rajasthan Royals in 2008. Delivering off the wrong foot with his rapid-arm motion made him a difficult bowler to get away and he got a lot of success in the Twenty20 format of the game. Playing in his third match of the tournament, on May 4, Tanvir took a match-winning six wickets against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. His figures of 6/14 from four overs were a record in IPL for over a decade. He ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, with 22 wickets from 11 matches at an average of 12.09, an economy rate of 6.46 and a strike rate of 11.20, the best among bowlers with more than six wickets.

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Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir gained fame for his unorthodox bowling action. The left-arm pacer turned out for Rajasthan Royals in 2008. Delivering off the wrong foot with his rapid-arm motion made him a difficult bowler to get away and he got a lot of success in the Twenty20 format of the game. Playing in his third match of the tournament, on May 4, Tanvir took a match-winning six wickets against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. His figures of 6/14 from four overs were a record in IPL for over a decade. He ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, with 22 wickets from 11 matches at an average of 12.09, an economy rate of 6.46 and a strike rate of 11.20, the best among bowlers with more than six wickets.

Former IPL team Gujarat Lions` left-arm spinner, Shivil Kaushik has a mysterious bowling action quite similar to the one made famous by former South Africa spinner Paul Adams. Kaushik is chinaman bowler but his action is reminiscent of frog-in-the-blender Adams which means he ends up looking towards cover while delivering the ball, instead of looking at the batsman. He has represented the Hubli Tigers in the Karnataka Premier League.

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Former IPL team Gujarat Lions` left-arm spinner, Shivil Kaushik has a mysterious bowling action quite similar to the one made famous by former South Africa spinner Paul Adams. Kaushik is chinaman bowler but his action is reminiscent of frog-in-the-blender Adams which means he ends up looking towards cover while delivering the ball, instead of looking at the batsman. He has represented the Hubli Tigers in the Karnataka Premier League.

Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach and ex RCB spin king Muttiah Muralitharan`s unique bowling action starts with an open-chested short run-up and ends results with an extremely wristy release. His exaggerated facial expressions during bowling also added an important dimension. Unarguably one of the best spinners in history, he tended to flick the wrist in the outward direction and release the ball. Muralitharan played for CSK, RCB and Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach and ex RCB spin king Muttiah Muralitharan`s unique bowling action starts with an open-chested short run-up and ends results with an extremely wristy release. His exaggerated facial expressions during bowling also added an important dimension. Unarguably one of the best spinners in history, he tended to flick the wrist in the outward direction and release the ball. Muralitharan played for CSK, RCB and Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

Ajantha Mendis, a mysterious finger spinner, is another unorthodox bowler from Sri Lanka. The former cricketer was part of Kolkata Knight Riders and defunct Pune Warriors India squads in IPL before. He is neither a wrist spinner nor a traditional off-break bowler but can bowl all the different variations using just the tip of his fingers to impart spin. He also admitted to having five different deliveries. He is famous for his carrom ball, released with a flick of his middle finger.

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Ajantha Mendis, a mysterious finger spinner, is another unorthodox bowler from Sri Lanka. The former cricketer was part of Kolkata Knight Riders and defunct Pune Warriors India squads in IPL before. He is neither a wrist spinner nor a traditional off-break bowler but can bowl all the different variations using just the tip of his fingers to impart spin. He also admitted to having five different deliveries. He is famous for his carrom ball, released with a flick of his middle finger.

Ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore bowler Tabraiz Shamsi is a left-arm wrist spinner. The South African chinaman bowler bagged nine wickets in ten games he played for Titans in this year`s Ram Slam T20, South Africa domestic T20 tournament. He also tasted huge success in the Caribbean Premier League, bagging 11 wickets in the seven games he played for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015. According to experts, despite having a unique action, Shamsi has got more control than spinners like Kaushik since he is looking at the batsman till a very late point in his delivery. His teammates call him the sorcerer.

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Ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore bowler Tabraiz Shamsi is a left-arm wrist spinner. The South African chinaman bowler bagged nine wickets in ten games he played for Titans in this year`s Ram Slam T20, South Africa domestic T20 tournament. He also tasted huge success in the Caribbean Premier League, bagging 11 wickets in the seven games he played for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015. According to experts, despite having a unique action, Shamsi has got more control than spinners like Kaushik since he is looking at the batsman till a very late point in his delivery. His teammates call him the sorcerer.

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