'Teesra' is just a mind game - Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine

West Indian mystery spinner Sunil Narine has said that there can be no variation called ‘teesra’; it is a delivery that Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal says he has worked on and is even believed to have been tried by him in international matches on a few occasions. Narine, though, has dismissed the claims saying that it just a trick used by a spin bowler against the opposition batsmen.

According to IBNLive, when asked whether there is a possibility of a teesra apart from the standard off-break and the ‘doosra’, which goes in the other direction, the West Indies spinner said: “It’s probably playing mindgames with the batsmen. Batsmen nowadays can do a lot of things as the game revolves around them. There is very little that bowlers can do, so might just play mindgames.”

He added: “Bowlers are trying out something new everyday. But you might not know what might just come out and what might not work.”

The versatility of Narine to be equally capable of being able to bowl at death as well as up front makes him an absolute asset in Limited Overs Internationals.

When asked about Ravichandran Ashwin trying to copy his bowling action in the recently concluded Asia cup in Bangladesh, Narine said: “Honestly, I haven’t seen it so I can’t comment much on it. Bowlers can bowl like whoever they like. It’s their choice if they try to pick up someone’s action.”

On being asked about West Indies’ chances in the T20 World Cup, the 25-year-old said: “Yes, we are certainly favourites having won the Cup in 2012. But it depends on who plays better on the day. We will definitely miss Pollard but guys who are in the squad are pretty capable. We should be doing well even without Pollard, and retain World T20 trophy.”