doosra: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Technical / Sports / South Asian English
Quick answer
What does “doosra” mean?
A particular type of delivery in cricket, bowled by an off-spinner, which spins in the opposite direction to the standard off-break (from leg to off for a right-handed batsman facing a right-handed bowler).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A particular type of delivery in cricket, bowled by an off-spinner, which spins in the opposite direction to the standard off-break (from leg to off for a right-handed batsman facing a right-handed bowler).
While remaining a technical cricket term, 'doosra' is occasionally used metaphorically in broader contexts to indicate a surprising or unexpected alternative move, a deceptive tactic, or something that goes against the norm.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK and Commonwealth cricket-playing nations, the term is widely recognized in sports contexts. In American English, it is largely unknown except among expatriate communities or serious cricket fans.
Connotations
In cricket contexts, it connotes skill, deception, and innovation. In metaphorical use, it can imply cleverness or trickery.
Frequency
Very high frequency in UK/Commonwealth sports journalism; extremely low to zero in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “doosra” in a Sentence
[Bowler] + bowls + a doosra[Batsman] + is + deceived by + the doosraThe doosra + spins + from leg to offVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “doosra” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He doosra'd him beautifully!
- Few spinners can doosra consistently.
American English
- (Rarely, if ever, used as a verb in AmE)
adjective
British English
- A doosra delivery
- His doosra ball turned sharply.
American English
- (Not used adjectivally in AmE)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Potentially in metaphorical sense: 'The CEO's new strategy was a real doosra that caught the market off guard.'
Academic
Virtually unused except in sports science or socio-linguistic papers on loanwords.
Everyday
Uncommon in general conversation outside cricket-following communities.
Technical
Core terminology in cricket coaching, commentary, and analysis.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “doosra”
- Misspelling as 'doosrah', 'dusra', or 'doozra'.
- Using it to describe any surprise, rather than a clever or deceptive alternative from a known set of actions.
- Pronouncing it with a /z/ sound instead of /s/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It literally means 'second' or 'other'.
Yes, but it is subject to strict bowling action regulations. Some bowlers have been accused of 'chucking' (illegally straightening the arm) when bowling it.
Only metaphorically, and your audience will likely need to be familiar with cricket to understand the allusion. It is not a general synonym for 'surprise'.
Pakistani off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq is widely credited with pioneering and popularising the delivery in the 1990s.
A particular type of delivery in cricket, bowled by an off-spinner, which spins in the opposite direction to the standard off-break (from leg to off for a right-handed batsman facing a right-handed bowler).
Doosra is usually technical / sports / south asian english in register.
Doosra: in British English it is pronounced /ˈduːsrə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈduːsrə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to pull a doosra on someone (metaphorical: to surprise with an unexpected move)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a door (sounds like 'doo') to a secret room (SR - Secret Room). A 'doosra' is the bowler's secret, second delivery behind the door.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SURPRISING MOVE IS A DECEPTIVE BOWLING DELIVERY (e.g., 'His resignation was a political doosra').
Practice
Quiz
In which sport is the term 'doosra' primarily used?