Weapons in R Ashwin’s stockpile
Off-spin
The stock ball that turns from off to leg. He bowls it bit differently from others, using only the index finger instead of both index and middle finger. Normally, the ball is held cross seam with index and middle finger at two ends and other fingers and thumb below. But he holds it with index finger being pronounced at the top-left. The ball moves clockwise.
Carrom ball
It turns the other way and in a way is quite similar to the doosra except that it doesn’t require the use of wrists or bending of elbow. It is also called the knuckle ball and is pushed through with the middle finger like the striker in carrom.
Top spin
It is a variant of off-spin except that the fingers run over the seam, which faces leg slip, to provide forward spin due to which it bounces more and is meant to catch the edge.
Slider/Low slider
Unlike top spin where the fingers run over the seam, in this there is sidespin on the ball and the ball is undercut with the seam facing the square leg. It skids, at a lower trajectory, having less spin but often catches the batsman off-guard and vulnerable to falling leg before.
Leg-spin
The leg-spin is a delivery which turns from leg to off and is bowled with the wrist. Ashwin bowls the way conventional spinners bowl with the wrist facing the bowler’s face. It is a variation he has used in IPL. The ball is held cross-seam and is turned up with the seam at the point of delivery. The ball moves anti-clockwise.
Seam up
It is a normal delivery, with fingers on the seam like a normal medium-pace bowler and it just goes through. Meant to surprise the batsmen with the pace and the ball going straight on.