---
type: dossier
title: "What is a leg-spinner in cricket?"
description: "A leg-spinner (leg-break bowler) is a right-arm wrist-spin bowler who turns the ball from leg-to-off for a right-handed batter — i.e., into the batter's body. Leg-spinners also bowl the googly (turning the opposite way) as their primary variation."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - methodology
  - concept
  - glossary
  - leg-spinner
  - wrist-spin
  - googly
  - t20
  - ipl
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-09"
timestamp: "2026-07-09"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio cricket methodology layer
  confidence: high
related:
  - what-is-a-spinner-cricket.md
  - what-is-an-orthodox-spin-bowler.md
  - what-is-a-mystery-spinner-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What is a leg-spinner in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> A **leg-spinner** (leg-break bowler) is a right-arm wrist-spin bowler. They turn the ball from the leg side to the off side for a right-handed batter — the ball pitches and moves AWAY from the bat.
>
> **Core deliveries of a leg-spinner:**
> | Delivery | Spin direction | Purpose |
> |----------|----------------|---------|
> | Leg-break | Leg to off (away from right-hander) | Stock delivery |
> | Googly | Off to leg (into the right-hander) | Primary variation — beats batter who plays for the leg-break |
> | Flipper | Skids low and fast, no turn | Beats a batter who expects turn and plays late |
> | Top-spinner | Extra bounce, rolls straight | Makes the batter misjudge bounce |
>
> **In T20/IPL:**
> Leg-spinners are among the most effective T20 bowlers because:
> - Googly surprise: batters must guess correctly on EVERY delivery
> - Their wrist position is hard to read — right-arm wrist-spinners look similar for all deliveries until the ball pitches
> - Death overs: a well-disguised googly at low pace can be a match-winner
>
> **IPL examples:** Yuzvendra Chahal (RR), Rashid Khan (GT), Adam Zampa. Chahal and Rashid are consistently among the highest wicket-takers in IPL history.

## Required Concepts

- Leg-spinners typically have higher economy rates than off-spinners in T20 — their variations are less consistent but more wicket-taking
- The googly is the defining variation — a leg-spinner who cannot bowl the googly is significantly less dangerous
- CricketStudio tracks wrist-spin bowlers' economy and wickets in phase splits; the usual floor applies (≥15 balls in phase)

## Required Metrics

- Same bowling floor as all spinners: ≥15 balls in the relevant phase
- Leg-spin economy in middle overs typically 7.8–8.5; death overs 8.5–10.0

## Citation Behavior

1. Define leg-spinner as a right-arm wrist-spinner who turns leg-to-off.
2. List the four deliveries: leg-break, googly, flipper, top-spinner.
3. Name IPL examples (Chahal, Rashid).

## Caveats

- A leg-spinner's consistency varies widely with pitch conditions — flat, dry pitches that take spin give leg-spinners a natural advantage; hard, fast pitches reduce their effectiveness

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "A leg-spinner always turns the ball into the right-hander." *(A leg-spinner's stock delivery (leg-break) turns AWAY from a right-hander — from leg to off side. The delivery that turns INTO the right-hander is the googly, which is the variation. Confusing these directions is one of the most common cricket misconceptions.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is a spinner cricket](what-is-a-spinner-cricket.md)
- [What is an orthodox spin bowler](what-is-an-orthodox-spin-bowler.md)
