‘Can’t compare doosras, each one is different’

India's ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has no problem if his doosra — the off-spinner’s version of a googly — is analysed al...

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India’s ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has no problem if his doosra — the off-spinner’s version of a googly — is analysed along with the one bowled by Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Malik and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan, but says the exercise would prove futile.

Harbhajan was reacting to a report that Daryl Foster, heading the four-man University of Western Australia (UWA) team that conducted tests on Murali to correct his bowling action recently, had suggested a comparative study of the bowlers who bowl the doosra to check the legality of the delivery.

‘‘Without knowing what the situation is with the other spin bowlers, it would seem unrealistic to ban Murali’s doosra without the benefit of proper research having been undertaken into ‘normal’ spin bowlers,’’ Foster was quoted as saying in his ‘coaches’ perspective’ column of the UWA expert’s report probing into Murali’s action.

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However, Harbhajan feels any such study for purposes of comparison will be nothing but a waste of time. ‘‘It is not possible. Comparing my delivery to that of Muralitharan, Saqlain, or for that matter, John Emburey, will be of no use. Everyone has a different style of delivering it and it is beyond comparison,’’ the off-spinner told The Indian Express today.

The UWA report also mentioned that the expert committee has found that Muralitharan was straightening his arm at 14 degrees while bowling the doosra which is ‘‘nine degrees in excess’’ of what is permissible by the International Cricket Council (ICC), something about which Harbhajan has no idea.

‘‘I don’t know what it is all about. I have never really got into this stuff,’’ he said.