Saqlain to teach Teesra for youngsters

Dubai: Saqlain Mushtaq, Pakistan off-spinner who invented the ‘Doosra’ delivery, is hoping to teach a new delivery called Teesra for budding cricketers. He taught the nuances of the art of spin in the second edition of his cricket camp at the Maxtalent Global Sports training centre in Al Nasr Sports Club last month.

Saqlain inspired the young cricketers with many tales from his career and also patiently answered to all queries from them.

When quizzed about his original invention Doosra. Saqlain said he is working on something different called Teesra now. First, he explained on how he invented Doosra and his journey with it. Teesra, also known as ‘Jalebi,’ is a delivery similar to a slider — the ball is held in an off-spinner’s grip but instead of twisting the arm at the point of the delivery, the bowler simply does not roll his fingers down the back of the ball. The delivery looks like it will turn a lot but it doesn’t turn at all and deceive the batsman.

Saqlain then gave an important lesson: “To learn anything in cricket, one has to have discipline and eagerness to learn and willingness to work hard.”

He also gave valuable tips on areas in which the youngsters need to focus and work on day to day basis to develop into an effective bowler.

When a trainee asked who is the best cricketer, Saqlain said: “Every country has its own best player, it’s impossible to have one best player from such huge number of talented cricketers. It would be unfair on my part to point out one but Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Ahmad Shehzad impressed me for their appetite and attitude towards the game.”

Maxtalent Global Sports MD and Cricket Maxway head coach Sudhakar Shetty, who organised the camp, said: “An inventor never stops with one success and is hungry to create more different stuff. I am sure Saqlain will continue to produce more new types of deliveries and teach youngsters how to bowl them.”