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Swing, Reverse-Swing, Knuckle-Ball
Aerodynamics of a Cricket Ball
Speakers
Sanjay Mittal’s presentation begins with an intriguing comparison of how air flows around projectiles in various sports, from the spinning flight of a soccer ball to the subtle aerodynamics of a golf ball. Drawing on data from experiments conducted at IIT Kanpur’s National Wind Tunnel Facility, he takes the audience on a journey across the fields and courts of sports like baseball, cricket, tennis, volleyball, and badminton.
In professional badminton, players prefer duck-feather shuttlecocks for their unique feel and flight characteristics. However, these shuttlecocks are fragile and costly, so nylon substitutes are common in recreational play. Prof. Mittal will explore how these synthetic shuttlecocks differ aerodynamically from the traditional feathered ones, illuminating the role of fluid-structure interactions that make them fly—and feel—so differently in the air.
Cricket fans can look forward to a deep dive into the mysteries of swing and reverse swing. Can a new cricket ball actually reverse swing? Prof. Mittal answers this question by presenting results from wind-tunnel experiments and Large Eddy Simulations. He’ll explain why cricketers shine one side of the ball and how the roughness on one hemisphere affects the ball’s trajectory, enabling “contrast-swing.” With data from carefully conducted experiments on both new and worn balls, he’ll show how different surface textures create distinct swing behaviors that bowlers use to baffle batters.
Prof. Mittal then shifts focus to the “knuckleball,” which has gained attention in cricket, though he notes it’s a bit of a misnomer. Borrowing insights from baseball, he proposes a model to capture the peculiar movement of a true knuckleball, dissecting the optimal seam angle, speed, and spin rate at release that make this delivery so elusive for batters.
To wrap up, he will delve into the aerodynamics of a frisbee. With every flick and spin, the frisbee dances on a layer of air, a perfect example of how the subtle interaction of shape and flow can lead to graceful, unpredictable motion.
Prof. Mittal’s lecture will be followed by a Q&A with the audience. Mr. Srinath will offer his comments at the end.
High Tea will be served before the event from 10:30am onwards.
This lecture is a part of RRI’s Vignyana Kathegalu, a series of popular talks on science.
Presented by: Raman Research Institute, Bangalore
Speakers
Sanjay Mittal
Sanjay Mittal received his undergraduate education in Aeronautical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India. He went to the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA for his graduate education. Presently, he is a Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India.
His research interests include fluid structure interactions, flow-induced vibration, bluff body flows, aerodynamic shape optimization, shock-boundary layer interactions, high performance computing, modeling of traffic flow, sports aerodynamics and low speed wind-tunnel testing. He is an active badminton player and his love for sports has found its way in his research.
He is passionate about teaching, and received the Excellence-in-Teaching Award and the Gopal Das Bhandari Distinguished Teacher Award from his Institute. He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Sciences. He received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in Engineering Sciences in 2006.
Javagal Srinath
One of India’s fastest bowlers, Javagal Srinath debuted at the Gabba in the 1991-92 series. Srinath impressed with his raw pace and bounce and made his home Test debut in 1994 against the West Indies.
On India’s spin-friendly pitches, Srinath adapted by adding variations to his bowling. His standout moment came in the 1996 Ahmedabad Test, where he took 6/21 to dismantle South Africa. In the 1999 Asian Test Championship against Pakistan at Eden Gardens, he claimed a ten-wicket haul with 13/13, including a career-best 8/86.
Srinath retired after the 2002 West Indies series but was convinced by Sourav Ganguly to continue through the 2003 World Cup, where he excelled, setting a record 18 wickets in a bilateral series against New Zealand, only recently broken by Amit Mishra.
Following a challenging World Cup final against Australia, Srinath retired and was later awarded the Arjuna Award in 1999. Post-retirement, he served as a commentator and ICC match referee. In 2010, he joined Anil Kumble’s team in the KSCA elections and won the position of secretary.
