Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman proved to be a perplexing puzzle for England at the Kotla grounds as Afghanistan secured a commanding 69-run victory, and he did so with an arsenal consisting of the carrom ball, off-break, and googly.
Joe Root, often hailed as England’s premier spin player in the subcontinent in recent years, found himself bewildered by Mujeeb’s cunning. Initially, Root stepped out to face him, aiming to discern the subtleties of his deception. Mujeeb played along, observing closely. When Root began to feel more assured, he typically chose to play spin from a position on the back foot, using his nimble hands to neutralize any threats. In this encounter, however, Root not only lost in terms of skills but also in terms of tactical acumen. Mujeeb introduced the off-break, his signature variation, and it nipped through Root’s defenses, crashing into the stumps. The ball kept slightly low, delivered from a lower trajectory. Mujeeb employs an unconventional grip, clamping the ball between his thumb and forefinger, with the middle finger serving as a pivot for the release, characterized by a flick of the wrist. Later, it was the carrom ball, his primary weapon, that claimed Harry Brook, followed by the googly, delivered with more flight than other variations, which outfoxed Chris Woakes.
Although classified as an off-spinner, Mujeeb disavows the label. He introduces himself as a “mystery spinner” in an introductory video for his former Big Bash League team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad channel, and insists he should be called a “carrom-ball spinner.” This description aptly characterizes his bowling, primarily relying on the carrom ball to capture most of his wickets. Many bowlers use the carrom ball as an occasional variation, a change-up, or a novelty delivery. However, Mujeeb employs it consistently because it is not just one of his variations but the best tool in his arsenal. Similarly to how Rashid Khan, his teammate, is often referred to as a googly bowler, Mujeeb can be termed a carrom-ball specialist.
Apart from Joe Root, his list of notable victims includes renowned right-handed batsmen like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. In essence, Mujeeb’s strategy revolves around the concept that batsmen struggle more with deliveries that move away from them rather than those that come into them. What complicates matters for batsmen is that his grip for both the carrom ball and the wrong’un is nearly identical. He holds the ball between his index finger and thumb, with the middle finger serving as a pivot beneath the ball. The ball is then propelled in an anticlockwise direction. The fundamental grip is the same for the wrong’un, except that the release comes from the back of the hand. Although there are subtle distinctions, such as the wrong’un being loftier and turning more sharply than the carrom ball, they are challenging to decipher. Mujeeb also bends more when delivering the wrong’un, and the release point is slightly lower. Nevertheless, most batsmen closely scrutinize his grip for clues, only to find none.
Mujeeb possesses several other variations that he uses sparingly, including the under-cutter, a reverse under-cutter, and an in-swinging yorker. When asked how he developed these variations, he explained in a Brisbane Heats video: “My first coach is YouTube. I learned the carrom ball by watching Ashwin, Narine, and Mendis bowl it. Then I practiced it a thousand times at home and with my friends. I started experimenting with different grips and releases, and that’s how I mastered the variations automatically.”
