diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/types.py b/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
index 303c0c3c8bd07..93ac6655b886a 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
@@ -1916,34 +1916,9 @@ def _parse_datatype_string(s: str) -> DataType:
         from py4j.java_gateway import JVMView
 
         sc = get_active_spark_context()
-
-        def from_ddl_schema(type_str: str) -> DataType:
-            return _parse_datatype_json_string(
-                cast(JVMView, sc._jvm)
-                .org.apache.spark.sql.types.StructType.fromDDL(type_str)
-                .json()
-            )
-
-        def from_ddl_datatype(type_str: str) -> DataType:
-            return _parse_datatype_json_string(
-                cast(JVMView, sc._jvm)
-                .org.apache.spark.sql.api.python.PythonSQLUtils.parseDataType(type_str)
-                .json()
-            )
-
-        try:
-            # DDL format, "fieldname datatype, fieldname datatype".
-            return from_ddl_schema(s)
-        except Exception as e:
-            try:
-                # For backwards compatibility, "integer", "struct<fieldname: datatype>" and etc.
-                return from_ddl_datatype(s)
-            except BaseException:
-                try:
-                    # For backwards compatibility, "fieldname: datatype, fieldname: datatype" case.
-                    return from_ddl_datatype("struct<%s>" % s.strip())
-                except BaseException:
-                    raise e
+        return _parse_datatype_json_string(
+            cast(JVMView, sc._jvm).org.apache.spark.sql.api.python.PythonSQLUtils.ddlToJson(s)
+        )
 
 
 def _parse_datatype_json_string(json_string: str) -> DataType:
diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/api/python/PythonSQLUtils.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/api/python/PythonSQLUtils.scala
index e33fe38b160af..49fe494903cdc 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/api/python/PythonSQLUtils.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/api/python/PythonSQLUtils.scala
@@ -148,6 +148,29 @@ private[sql] object PythonSQLUtils extends Logging {
     DataType.fromJson(json).asInstanceOf[StructType].toDDL
   }
 
+  def ddlToJson(ddl: String): String = {
+    val dataType = try {
+      // DDL format, "fieldname datatype, fieldname datatype".
+      StructType.fromDDL(ddl)
+    } catch {
+      case e: Throwable =>
+        try {
+          // For backwards compatibility, "integer", "struct<fieldname: datatype>" and etc.
+          parseDataType(ddl)
+        } catch {
+          case _: Throwable =>
+            try {
+              // For backwards compatibility, "fieldname: datatype, fieldname: datatype" case.
+              parseDataType(s"struct<${ddl.trim}>")
+            } catch {
+              case _: Throwable =>
+                throw e
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    dataType.json
+  }
+
   def unresolvedNamedLambdaVariable(name: String): Column =
     Column(internal.UnresolvedNamedLambdaVariable.apply(name))