Sunil Gavaskar Explains The Origins of The ‘Chinaman’ Delivery

Once upon a time a Chinese cricketer...

Kuldeep Yadav is the first chinaman bowler to play a Test for India. (Photo: BCCI)

Kuldeep Yadav was handed his debut Test cap by Laxman Sivaramakrishnan at the start of the Dharamsala Test. At first, the big news was that he would be Virat Kohli’s replacement in the squad.

One and a half sessions into the match and three big wickets later, Kuldeep Yadav ‘the chinaman bowler’ was already the star of the day.

Lots of chatter on social media as well regarding the 22-year-old.

But what is a ‘chinaman’?

Seasoned pro Sunil Gavaskar took the commentators mic to answer all questions

There was a left-hand spinner, a Chinese who bowled the first time. Eddie Chong his name was. And suddenly it was so different that that since it was a Chinaman that somebody had bowled leg spin as a left-hander. Therefore, that particular delivery was called a Chinaman. And for that precise reason, China should start playing cricket.

Sunil Gavaskar