As the 2023 instalment of the lucrative tournament is just days away, starting on March 26, let’s look at the bowlers who have taken part in the IPL since its inception and exhibit ‘odd’ bowling techniques. Here are a few of the IPL’s bowlers who have been noted to have peculiar styles of bowling.
1. Jasprit Bumrah
A star player of the Mumbai Indians team, has an atypical bowling style, throwing the ball from the wide side of the crease. He has the same rare hyper-extension shoulder as the former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, and his delivery action is characterized by its quick, whipping motion, inward-tilted high arm action and fast bowling arm speed. His bowling action is wildly distinctive and hard to predict, which places him in a special category of bowlers.
2. Sunil Narine
He was known for having a lot of variations to his off-breaks and hiding them well, as well as having a different grip than other spin bowlers. Unfortunately, he was found to have an illegal bowling action, which he had to change. As a result, he is not receiving as much zip and spin off the pitch as he used to, yet he is still a highly experienced and successful bowler in the Indian Premier League.
3. Lasith Malinga
A former bowler for the Mumbai Indians, is nicknamed Slinger Malinga because of his distinctive sling action. He delivers the ball in front of the umpire’s torso. Malinga throws with an authentic roundarm technique. While some doubt the legality of his delivery, it is considered legal as his arm does not become straight from a bent position while bowling.
4. Murugan Ashwin
The ex-RCB and Punjab Kings leg-spinner throw a deceptively disguised googly and does so with a very rigid arm like Anil Kumble. The Chennai native, who acted as a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings in 2017, was later chosen by the Rising Pune Supergiant IPL team. He also represented Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
5. K C Cariappa
A former Punjab cricketer, initially began as a pace-bowling all-rounder before taking up spin bowling. He has a typical roundarm arm action and his go-to delivery is a leg break. He also has tricks like the googly and the faster ball and is able to bowl off-spinners without changing his grip. He was part of the Bijapur Bulls in the Karnataka Premier League in 2014 and is currently associated with the Rajasthan Royals for the 2022 IPL.
6. Kamran Khan
In 2008, the Rajasthan Royals discovered him, a cricketer who had never played a first-class game before. He eventually was a part of Pune Warriors India. During a league match in 2010, an umpire from the Maharashtra Cricket Association highlighted Kamran for bowling illegally. Shane Warne, a famous former spinner, nicknamed him “Tornado”.
7. Shivil Kaushik
The former left-arm spinner of the Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League, has a unique bowling action similar to that of the renowned South African spinner, Paul Adams. Kaushik is a chinaman bowler, but his technique is evocative of Adams’ frog-in-the-blender style, with him facing away from the batsman when he bowls. He has also represented the Hubli Tigers in the Karnataka Premier League.
8. Sohail Tanvir
The Pakistani quick bowler, became renowned due to his uncommon bowling style. In 2008, he was a part of the Rajasthan Royals squad. With his speedy arm action and a different approach to bowling off the wrong foot, he was a tough competitor and had great success in Twenty20 cricket. On the fourth of May, he took a record-breaking six wickets against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. His figures of 6/14 from four overs were at the top of the list in the IPL for a decade.
9. Ajantha Mendis
An unconventional bowler from Sri Lanka, is renowned for his finger-spin bowling style. His tenure with Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors India in Indian Premier League is recorded. He doesn’t bowl with the traditional wrist spin or off-break technique, but instead, he uses the tips of his fingers to spin the ball in various directions. He is mainly remembered for his carrom ball, which is released with a flick of his middle finger.
