Carrom ball no more Mendis' monopoly

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Mumbai: The "carrom ball" delivery will no longer be a monopoly of Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis as Australia's new off-break bowler Jason Krejza, who is yet to play a single Test, also has this secret weapon, which he is certain to use against the India during the upcoming India-Australia series.

The 25-year-old Krejza's mystery delivery is different to Muthiah Muralitharan's doosra but is like Mendis' carrom ball - a delivery held between the thumb and forefinger and squeezed out to spin slightly away from the right-hander.

"I have not interacted with this new bowler. Nor I have seen him bowling," Mendis said to a newspaper.

However, Sri Lanka's Australian coach Trevor Bayliss is aware about the bowler.

"I saw him bowling this delivery in nets some few years ago. I don't know how more he has developed his skill in this department in matches thereafter," Trevor Bayliss said from Colombo.

Indian batsmen recently found it difficult to play against Mendis in Sri Lanka but it may not necessarily be advantageous to the Australians as well.

Krejza is a good bowler but he will be under pressure to bowl against Indian batsmen on their home soil. Mendis has more (secret) deliveries under his sleeves," Bayliss said while comparing Krejza with Mendis.