How To Bowl Leg Spin Like Shane Warne?

Cricket is not a small sport. There are several terms and skills which can help you to reach the top if you master it. At the initial stage, we all wanted to become a batsman but as the time goes, we get to know the importance and scope in balling field too. Batting in Cricket is very competitive and it is not easy to become a batsman at high level because of competition. That’s why if you master the skill of bowling, either fast bowling or spin bowling then you can be easily selected at any level.

In today’s world of Cricket, spin bowling has a lot of scope as their is scarcity of a good spin bowler who can spin with perfect pace and perfect line and length. But spin bowling is not that easy. It is a hard to learn skill which needs a lot of hard work and practice.

In this article we will specially discuss about how to bowl leg spin in Cricket and what are some tips to remember in mind before bowling a leg delivery. Though if you are confused that which spin you should bowl, either leg or off then you can read our detailed article on Leg Spin VS Off Spin: Which One Is Better?

So, let’s get started with some basics.

What is leg spin?

Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in Cricket in which bowl turns away from the batsman after hitting the land.

Grip for leg spin bowling

The traditional grip for the leg spin bowling is often referred as the “two ups and two downs” grip because in this grip the index and middle finger are kept on the top of the ball across the seam and other two finger (ring finger and small finger) are kept at the bottom portion of the ball for giving support to the grip and it also helps to spin the ball.

How To Bowl Leg Spin
Grip for leg spin bowling

There are some more grips for leg spin which is invented recently but they are never suggested by any professionals as this grip is best and works far better. If you would ask any professional that how to bowl leg spin then he will definitely suggest you this grip first. So, practice this grip daily.

Run-up

Run-up for leg spin is not something different. It’s almost same. Normally, it is advised to take a run-up of 9 feet. You can make some difference and can adjust it as per your need.

Apply spin to the bowl

Now, it comes the most crucial part of spin bowling. If this goes wrong then you will not be called a leg-spinner and this is the most asked question by any Cricket enthusiast when they ask how to bowl leg spin.

To apply the spin to the ball, follow the steps given below.

  • Bend your wrist towards your leg. A sample picture is given below.
How To Bowl Leg Spin
This is done by only wrist leg spinners.
  • Release the ball when you are at the top of your run-up. Try to go higher when releasing the ball.
  • Your palm should always face the sky when releasing the ball. You can see the image given below.
How To Bowl Leg Spin
  • Push the ball using the supportive finger (ring and small finger) at the last point when releasing the ball.

So, this was all about how you can easily apply spin to the ball. Now let’s see that where should you pitch the leg spin ball.

Line & length

Line and length depends on many factors. Some are given below-:

  • Field placement
  • Batsman weakness
  • condition of the pitch
  • Batsman batting property (left handed or right handed batsman)

These were some of the points to remember before dropping the ball in any line and length. However, there is some general line and length which are told to bowlers to bowl during leg-spin. This is often asked term when it comes to how to bowl leg spin? You can see them in the GIF given below.

Leg break small
When bowl is bowled from over the wicket. GIF taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leg_spin
Slow left arm small
When bowled from around the wicket. GIF taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leg_spin

This was the general and traditional line and length of leg spin bowling. This line and length are very effective.

Bowling action

If you are just starting then there is good chance that you may not have decided and practised your bowling action. So, there are some points to remember before choosing your bowling action.

  • Try to take a jump in leg spin bowling action if you are comfortable.
  • Don’t copy any other players bowling action. Try to make your own. Note: You can copy some good points of any professional leg spinner action.
  • Run slowly in the initial run up and gradually increase the speed.

You can also see the video of the run up of legend Shane Warne. Don’t copy it. However, you can slightly copy some good things from the action and apply it to your own action.

Speed for leg spin bowling

Generally, a professional leg spinner bowls at a speed between 70 KPH to 100 KPH. However this differs from bowler to bowler. If you are a beginner then probably you will bowl at a slow speed. Don’t worry for speed, try to spin the ball more and gradually improve the line and length. This question often comes to mind when we think of how to bowl leg spin like Shane Warne?

Leg spinners like Anil Kumble and Shane Warne never put stress on increase the pace of their ball. Either they tried to give more spin to the bowl and improve the line and length of the ball.

If you want to become a good leg spinner then follow these steps and practice more and more because practice makes a man perfect. Hope you got the answer for how to bowl leg spin?

How much time it will take to master leg spin?

Generally, mastering anything takes years of hard work and practice. It also applies to leg spin. It is a hard skill but you can become a good leg spinner by hard work and practice of 1 or 2 years.

Is leg spin better than off spin?

We cannot compare leg spin with off spin. Both are different. Both have their own pros and cons. I have written a detailed article on leg spin vs off spin.

What is the best length to bowl leg spin?

The best length to bowl leg spin to a right handed batsman is dropping the ball almost 1-2 metre away from the batsman in the leg side.

Hope you liked the article. Thanks for reading. Please share the article.

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