5 cricketing skills that are very difficult to master

Cricket is one of those sports that requires myriad skill sets from those who play the game at the highest level. When it comes to specialists, it becomes even more varied. Bowlers, both spinners as well as fast bowlers, need to have a wide range of skills in order to have length careers. The same can be said for batsmen who have to keep honing their skills if they are to stay one step ahead of the competition.

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However, some skills in cricket are difficult to master for most cricketers. Perhaps, only those at the very top of their game have been able to execute such facets on a consistent basis. More often than not, those cricketers end up being counted among the greats of the game. So, let's take a look at five skills that cricketers find extremely hard to master.

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#5 Reverse Swing

The skill of bending an old ball at pace, either way, was often regarded as some sort of sorcery by teams which faced Pakistan during the late 1970s and early 80s. Brought into the international arena by Sarfraz Nawaz who in turn passed on the secret to Imran Khan, the Pakistanis were demolishing lower-order batsmen through their then exotic reverse swing. As more teams began to learn the intricacies of the craft, the process of getting the ball to reverse came out in the open.

Maintaining the ball by rigorously shining one side while letting the other side get roughed up is the first step. Possessing fast bowlers, who can control the late movement at rapid pace, adds credence to the skill. Pakistan had that in abundance. Over the years, they made a mockery of some of the best batting line ups in the world. England replicated the prowess with devastating effect during the 2005 Ashes series. Reverse swing is an extremely tough skill to master and only a handful of teams have been able to make the old ball talk.

#4 On Drive

Jacques Kallis' stable base and orthodox technique helped him play the on drive to perfection

The drive is the primary attacking shot in cricket and most of the attacking shots in front of the wicket on the off side are derived from it. Batsmen need excellent technique to be able to play their drives to good effect. While the core still can be obtained with time, a variant of the drive that is difficult to master is the on drive.

There are certain shots that require a high level of technical excellence along with the gift of timing as well as a keen sense of shot selection to be executed perfectly. The on drive is one of those shots and sending the ball along the ground between straight past the bowler and to the left of the mid on fielder is one of the most aesthetically pleasing shots for spectators too. Only the very best have managed to execute the shot properly.

#3 Slip Catching

Mark Waugh shapes up to take a catch at slip

One of the elements of cricket that has evolved at a breakneck pace over the past two decades or so is the standard of fielding. Almost all sides nowadays have fielders who can be relied upon at different stages of the game. However, catching in the slips is an aspect that has diminished greatly in recent times. It remains the toughest skill to master as far as fielding is concerned.

A slip fielder not only needs good reflexes but also requires immense powers of concentration to assist a firing bowler. He has to judge his position precisely and await opportunities even as a few other fielders lurk beside him. On the other hand, when the catches do come, they might be moving viciously and the fielder needs to have really good hands to be a successful at slip. Unlike ground fielding, slip catching has to come naturally to the player. As a result, the number of great slip fielders in cricket is quite low at any given point of time.

#2 Doosra

Saqlain Mushtaq is acknowledged as the inventor of the doosra

Even though plenty of outstanding off spinners came along on a regular basis, they did not have the visceral thrill of an in-form leg-spinner. However, all that changed with the emergence of Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq. The 'doosra' is his gift to the world of cricket. With no discernable change in action, Saqlain made the ball turn sharply away from the right-hander and consequently transformed himself into one of the deadliest bowlers in the world.

Over the years, plenty of spinners have tried to master the art and only very few have been able to do so with their bowling actions still intact. The likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh have been notable exponents in recent times. Plenty of others have found it hard to master and hence have had their bowling actions remodelled due to strict ICC laws. The 'doosra' is a delivery that takes supple fingers, strong wrists and hours upon hours of practice to get it right.

#1 Flipper

Shane Warne used the flipper to devastating effect

One of the most exciting variations that a leg-spinner has in his armoury is the flipper. It can be one of the most devastating deliveries when bowled perfectly. Leading wrist-spinners have used the delivery to make a mockery of some of the best batsmen in the world over the years. At the same time, it is also one of the most difficult deliveries to master. Throughout the history of the sport, only very few leg-spinners have been able to use it with any success.

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The spinner needs to hold the ball between his thumb and the index as well as ring finger before releasing it from the front instead of from the back as is the case with a regular leg-break delivery. Many leg spinners have tried and failed to completely have any kind of mastery over the delivery. Shane Warne remains the finest exponent of the flipper in the modern era.