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This is a very rare delivery in cricket and there is some dispute as to how it originated. It’s time to take a look at the Teesra.
What is a Teesra Ball in Cricket?
Also known as a Jalebi, the Teesra ball is a delivery bowled by a spinner in cricket. Rather than turn, the nature of the teesra sees the ball travel in a straight direction without spinning.
It also travels with more pace than a regular spinner’s ball and the objective is to confuse the batter who is facing it.
Who Invented the Teesra?
The man who claims to have invented the teesra ball is Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq. There is some dispute over this, however, as some observers state that the teesra is too similar to the backpinner and the arm ball, both of which have been delivered by slow bowlers for decades.
The literal translation of the word means ‘third one’. If we think about it, that makes perfect sense. The off spinner’s stock delivery is the first one, the Doosra comes next while the Teesra is the third one.
How to Deliver it? – The Technique
The process for bowling the teesra starts with the grip. This is the same as for a conventional off spinning delivery so the ball will be held in the palm of the hand. The seam runs horizontally across the hand and the ball is held between the ring finger and the index finger.
Try to bowl with an identical run up to your stock ball so that the batter is unaware that you are trying something different.
Now comes the key element of bowling the teesra. With a conventional off spin delivery, the bowler will flick the wrist forwards and rotate the fingers over the top of the ball. With the teesra, there is no twisting or flicking at all. Instead, the bowler will roll their fingers down the back of the ball on the point of release.
It should appear to the batter that the ball is rotating and it will spin. However, the spin imparted is backspin so the ball will travel on its existing arc and at a higher speed.
What is the Difference Between the Doosra and the Teesra?
The doosra is the equivalent of a leg spinner’s googly. Delivered with just a subtle change to the bowler’s action, it is intended to turn from the leg to off side to a right hander, as opposed to the traditional off to leg.
The teesra isn’t likely to spin. If there is any spin then this will be very slight. Instead, it will travel more quickly and go straight on with the arm.
Conclusion
There may only be subtle differences between them but it is worth separating the Teesra from the Arm Ball and the Back Spinner. For me, there is a suggestion of more pace with the teesra and that’s what can really catch the batter unawares.
It’s a contentious point but it’s a ball that has its own, unique name, so we must all look at the teesra as a separate delivery.
