You often see spinners deceiving batters and hear commentators say, “That was his top spin that shook the batters.” Many variations exist, and many experts execute these stock deliveries. Among all the variations, one delivery that is essential for every leg-spinner is the ‘googly.’ Believe it or not, it has been the stock ball for many legends. From Anil Kumble to Shane Warne, everyone has had more than 50 percent success rate with the googly.
But what exactly is a googly? How did it come into the limelight? How did legends like Abdul Qadir and Anil Kumble utilize it so effectively? And not just in the past, but even now, with Yuzvendra Chahal and Adil Rashid, everyone believes that the googly is the most lethal ball in their armory. So, let’s see what a googly is in spin bowling.
What is googly ball?
Also known as a “wrong’un,” simple to explain but difficult to bowl, a googly is usually bowled by a leg-spinner. Typically, leg-spin deliveries spin from the leg side to the off side to any right-handed batter. However, since it is a “wrong’un,” as mentioned, a googly spins from the off side to the leg side, typically to confuse the batter. If they miss the ball, it creates a massive opportunity to catch the batter off guard, potentially resulting in an plum LBW or even hitting the stumps if the ball is bowled fuller.
Best googly bowlers
Initiated by England’s spinner Bernard Bosanquet in the early 20th century, the googly has since become a deceptive weapon in the arsenal of leg-spinners. In the past, bowlers like Abdul Qadir, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and Muttiah Muralitharan were known for their deadly googlies, which made batters dance on their toes. Later, in the era of Shahid Afridi and Harbhajan Singh, the googly was extensively utilized. Currently, it remains a stock delivery for bowlers like Yuzvendra Chahal, Australia’s Adam Zampa, and Pakistan’s Shadab Khan.
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