In cricket, a Googly is a leg-spinner’s deceptive delivery that spins opposite to their standard leg-break, turning from off to leg for a right-handed batsman, while a Dusra (or doosra) is an off-spinner’s trick ball that spins from leg to off, mimicking a leg-break, as defined by the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) Laws of Cricket (Law 20).
Both rely on wrist or finger manipulation to generate spin at 1,200-1,500 revolutions per minute (rpm), but differ in bowler type, spin direction, grip, and delivery mechanics.
This analysis outlines the technical distinctions—spin, grip, wrist action, and bowling style—providing a clear comparison for understanding these deceptive deliveries…
Spin Direction: Opposite Deceptions
A googly, bowled by a leg-spinner, spins in the opposite direction of their natural leg-break. For a right-arm leg-spinner facing a right-handed batsman, a leg-break turns from leg to off (left to right), while a googly turns from off to leg (right to left), breaking 15-25 centimeters at 80-90 kilometers per hour, per 2024 biomechanical data. This clockwise spin (viewed from the bowler’s end) targets the batsman’s leg stump or pads, exploiting their expectation of an outward turn.
A doosra, bowled by an off-spinner, reverses their standard off-break. An off-break from a right-arm off-spinner spins from off to leg (right to left), but a doosra spins from leg to off (left to right), mimicking a leg-break with 10-20 centimeters of deviation at 75-85 kilometers per hour. Its counterclockwise spin aims for the batsman’s outside edge or off stump, deceiving them into playing for inward movement. The ICC’s 2025 spin metrics confirm these distinct trajectories, rooted in bowler specialization.
Bowler Type: Leg-Spin vs. Off-Spin
The googly is exclusive to leg-spinners, who use wrist spin to generate turn. Right-arm leg-spinners deliver leg-breaks with counterclockwise wrist flicks, but switch to clockwise flicks for googlies, achieving 1,400 rpm on a 155.9-163-gram ball, per MCC standards. Left-arm leg-spinners reverse this—googlies spin counterclockwise, turning leg to off against right-handers.
The doosra belongs to off-spinners, who rely on finger spin. Right-arm off-spinners roll fingers over the ball for off-breaks (clockwise), but use a backspin-heavy finger snap for doosras (counterclockwise), hitting 1,200-1,300 rpm, per 2024 CricViz data. Left-arm off-spinners produce doosras spinning clockwise, off to leg for right-handers. This distinction—wrist-spin leg-spinners versus finger-spin off-spinners—defines their technical foundations.
Grip: Finger and Seam Positioning
A googly’s grip involves the leg-spinner placing the index and middle fingers across the seam, thumb pressing the side, with the ball’s 2.5-3 mm leather seam tilted 20°-30° toward the off-side. The fingers rest atop, wrist cocked at 180°-220°, rolling over the top for clockwise spin (right-arm). This grip, nearly identical to a leg-break’s, ensures disguise, with the thumb’s 10-15 newton pressure aiding 0.3-0.5-meter dip.
The doosra’s grip differs—an off-spinner places the index finger along the seam’s left edge, middle finger on the right, thumb below, with the seam angled 15°-25° toward leg. The fingers snap backward, imparting backspin, with 8-12 newtons of force, achieving 0.2-0.4-meter dip, per 2024 biomechanics. Unlike the googly’s wrist-driven spin, the doosra’s finger action sacrifices rpm for control, distinguishing its mechanics.
Wrist and Arm Action: Delivery Mechanics
A googly requires a pronounced wrist flick—right-arm leg-spinners rotate the wrist from 180° to 90° clockwise at release, generating 1,400 rpm on a 22.4-22.9 cm ball. The arm angle, 15°-20° from vertical per ICC Law 21.2, stays legal (elbow bend under 15°), with shoulder rotation at 80° masking the spin shift. Left-arm leg-spinners flick counterclockwise, maintaining identical rpm and 20°-30° seam tilt.
The doosra uses finger spin, with minimal wrist movement—right-arm off-spinners snap the index finger backward, rotating 30°-40° counterclockwise, hitting 1,200 rpm. The arm, angled 10°-15°, aligns with off-break action, but shoulder torque drops to 60°, reducing turn to 10-20 centimeters, per 2025 CricViz. Left-arm off-spinners snap clockwise, with similar constraints. The doosra’s finger reliance, versus the googly’s wrist, limits spin but eases disguise.
Technical Takeaway
A googly, bowled by leg-spinners, spins off to leg with wrist-driven 1,400 rpm, while a doosra, from off-spinners, spins leg to off with finger-led 1,200 rpm, differing in bowler type, grip, and mechanics, per MCC’s 2025 standards. These deceptive deliveries—googly for inward surprise, doosra for outward trickery—shape cricket’s tactical battles.
Googly vs Dusra Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Googly in cricket?
A googly is a type of delivery in cricket, which is bowled with the hand that would normally bowl an off-break, but with a wrist action that imparts backspin to the ball. This causes the ball to spin in the opposite direction to the off-break, and can deceive a batsman if they are expecting the ball to turn the other way.
What is Dusra in cricket?
Dusra is a type of delivery in cricket, which is bowled with the hand that would normally bowl a leg-break, but with a wrist action that imparts offspin to the ball. This causes the ball to spin in the opposite direction to the leg-break, and can deceive a batsman if they are expecting the ball to go the other way.
What is the difference between a Googly and a Dusra?
A: The main difference between a googly and a Dusra is the direction of spin imparted to the ball. A googly spins in the opposite direction to the off-break, while a Dusra spins in the opposite direction to the leg-break.
Which bowlers are known for their Googly?
Some of the famous bowlers known for their googlies are Shane Warne, Abdul Qadir, and B.S. Chandrasekhar.
Which bowlers are known for their Dusra?
Some of the famous bowlers known for their Dusra are Saqlain Mushtaq, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Harbhajan Singh.
