Cricdost Free cricket scoring app presents this article about Knuckleball in Cricket. Knuckleball is a difficult, strategic delivery in cricket, but it is not impossible to master. Several bowlers in the cricket world use the knuckleball as a powerful ploy, and we'll look at how they do it.

What is a Knuckleball in Cricket?

A knuckleball is a slower delivery made by a quicker bowler. The ball is gripped in such a way that it comes out much slower than the bowler's normal delivery when throwing a knuckleball.

The issue for the batter is the subtle change in a grip that makes a knuckleball difficult to spot, so when delivered correctly, it can be deceptive.

How to Bowl a Knuckleball?

The idea comes from baseball, where pitchers have been throwing knuckleballs for years in order to fool batters.

The grip is an important part of bowling a knuckleball:

1. The ball should be resting on the knuckles of the index and middle finger.

As a result, the cricket ball is held in place by the two remaining fingers.

Pat Brown, an England international limited-overs bowler, goes into greater detail. He explained to Wisden that he brings those two fingers back and points them down towards the thumb. Bend the tops of those fingers and place the ball just beneath the nails.

Because this is a difficult ball to grip and control, having larger hands is advantageous.

2. Speed through the crease on your regular run-up.

This is significant because you do not want the batsman to believe that anything other than a stock delivery is about to be delivered.

When the ball leaves the hand, the same principle applies.

3. The arm should move in a similar direction.

The ball is simply slowed down by the unusual grip. When delivered correctly, the batter will notice no change in grip and will expect the ball to arrive at its normal speed.

Who Invented the Knuckleball?

Jeetan Sareen is credited with inventing the knuckleball. Other than the fact that he was an Indian bowler who never played professional cricket, very little is known about him.

Sareen invented the technique, but many others have advanced it by effectively using the knuckleball in First Class and List A games.

Masters of the Knuckleball

The knuckleball was first seen in a match situation in the wider cricketing world during the 2011 World Cup. Zaheer Khan of India was the first to break the mold, paving the way for many other expert knuckleball players.

Many seamers look to bowl a knuckleball, particularly in shorter formats where slower deliveries are a powerful weapon.

A.J. Tye of Australia is, in my opinion, the best knuckleball bowler in the world. It was a skill that helped him make Australia's national team, as well as an IPL contract and offers from T20 franchises all over the world.

The technique appears to have originated in India, and it's no surprise that many of the country's seam bowlers are skilled at it. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is another top fast bowler who has represented India at all levels of the game.

Kumar has a strong knuckleball and has been a key player for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

There aren't many fast bowlers who can deliver the knuckleball effectively, but England's Jofra Archer is an exception. This is a man who, when in peak condition, is capable of hitting the ball at speeds in excess of 90mph.

With that kind of speed, the knuckleball can be a very effective weapon, and Archer makes good use of it. The most memorable moment occurred in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final when Jofra Archer claimed the vital wicket of Australia's Glenn Maxwell with a knuckleball.

Pat Brown, another seam bowler who has struggled with injuries, gave that demonstration to Wisden. If he can stay healthy, cricket fans all over the world will be able to see how effective his knuckleball can be.

Siddarth Kaul, Deepak Chahar, and Mohit Sharma are also excellent exponents of this type of slower delivery. It's a difficult skill to master, which is why the list of best knuckleball bowlers is relatively short.you should download the CricDost app- a free live Cricket Streaming for the Grassroots-level players. Download now and enjoy down to the ground!