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In this article, we are going to take a look at various types of shots that batsmen use in cricket. Some shots are played with a vertically held bat while others involve the use of a bat held horizontally. Batsmen can choose to go forward or back from their stance at the crease, depending on the type of shot they wish to play. The length of the ball delivered by the bowler usually determines whether the batsman chooses to play forward or back. A fuller-length delivery, where the ball is pitched up, would require the batsman to play forward. A shorter ball may cause the batsman to stay back to make himself room to negotiate the delivery. Playing forward to a short delivery is fraught with danger. A batsman who chooses to go on to his front foot to a bouncer, for instance, exposes himself to injury.
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Shots Played into the Straight Field
Straight shots are usually played with a vertically held bat and can be either defensive or offensive. In Test cricket, for instance, openers are traditionally advised to play in the ‘V.’ In other words, they are encouraged to play with a vertical bat to negate the movement offered by a new ball. Such shots may be either defensive or offensive.
Defensive Shots
Forward Defensive
To play this shot, the batsman anchors his backfoot and takes a long stride by moving his front foot forward to the pitch of the ball to meet the ball with the bat and block it. The aim of the batsman playing a forward defensive shot is to protect his wicket or person by blocking the ball dead. As he does not intend to take a run from the ball, the batsman is unlikely to employ any strength while executing the stroke. Instead, he is likely to play with “soft hands,” a colloquial expression used by cricket commentators to indicate that the grip on the bat is “soft,” implying that the batsman holds the bat with a light grip.
Backward Defensive
The batsman executes a backward defensive shot when he chooses to block the ball on the back foot. While a defensive block is not intended to fetch runs, the batsman may convert the block into a push by using the stroke to direct the ball into a vacant area in order to steal a run.
Leave
If the batsman chooses not to play a shot at all, such decision results in a ‘leave.’ As long as it is a deliberate ploy by the batsman, a leave is considered a type of shot. This is not to be confused with a failure to connect the bat with the ball in a failed attempt to hit a delivery for runs. A leave or a block is more often used by a batsman in a Test match, in which the scoring rate doesn’t matter and there is no urgency for runs, than in limited-overs cricket. The leave is a strategic shot that a batsman uses while he gauges the nature of the wicket and the quality of bowling before deciding to play shots for runs. Leaving a ball involves elements of technique combined with judgement. The batsman must keep his eye on the ball to ensure that the ball he chooses to leave is not likely to hit either his person or the stumps. The player must also guard against inadvertent contact of the bat with the ball that could cause his dismissal by a catch.
OfOffensive Shots
em>Straight Drive
The batsman drives the ball by hitting it with a vertical bat swung through the line of the ball in a vertical arc. The batsman makes contact with the ball in front of him to drive it along the ground. A straight drive takes place when the ball travels in a straight line past the bowler towards the sight screen. Though a drive is, by definition, a shot played along the ground, the batsman may choose to play a lofted drive over the heads of close-in fielders in order to score runs. Depending on how hard it is struck, this lofted shot may even fetch the batsman six runs.
ShShots Played to the Off Side
over Drive
This is a type of drive that is directed towards the fielding position of ‘cover’.
Off DrOff Drive
s a type of drive that is intended to direct the ball to mid-off.
SquareSquare Drive
s a type of drive that causes the ball to move in the direction of point. A square drive involves similar arm orientation as does a square cut. Like a cut shot, a square drive is played with a horizontally held bat. In order to play a cut shot, the batsman stands tall and executes the stroke against a rising ball, waist-high or even higher. On the contrary, in order to play a square drive, the batsman would need to bend his knees or crouch low against a ball that rises no higher than his shin and allows him enough width outside the off stump.
CutCut
s a shot played with a horizontally held bat against a short-pitched delivery. The batsman playing a cut usually intends to play it wide, for runs. He may play it late as the ball passes him or when it is alongside, not making any effort to impart power. Instead, the batsman uses the pace of the bowler to divert the ball with an angular bat. The batsman usually plays a cut shot off the back foot. However, when the slow pace of the ball allows him to do so, the batsman may choose to play the shot off his front foot. The batsman who plays a cut shot usually rolls the face of the bat over the ball to keep it down. If, instead, the batsman opens the face of the bat to play a cut shot, he runs the risk of offering a catch.
SqSquare Cut
re cut results when the batsman hits the ball hit at a tangent to the wicket in the direction of point.
LaLate Cut
tsman may choose to play a late cut as the ball passes his body or even after it passes him, directing the ball to third man.
UpUpper Cut
tsman may choose to play an upper cut when the bowler delivers the ball with extra bounce, offering width on the off side. This is a modern-day cricket shot that can cost the batsman his wicket if it’s not properly done.
StSteer
strong>delivery pitched on or outside the off stump, the batsman may choose to angle the bat at the point of contact, deflecting the ball away from the stumps while using the pace of the ball. This often-used technique to garner runs on the off-side is described as a steer.
ReReverse Sweep
rse sweep is an innovative shot that involves sweeping the ball to the off side towards third man or backward point. To make it easier to reverse sweep the ball, the batsman may reverse the positions of hands on the bat handle. This is a high-risk shot that can result in a top-edged catch or make the batsman prone to become LBW. When executed well, the shot can fetch easy runs as the fielding captain will find it hard to set a field to it. While the awkward positioning of hands and legs can preclude the use of power in the shot, on occasion, batsmen have reverse swept balls for sixes.
Former South African batsman AB de Villiers is one of the best players of the reverse sweep. De Villiers is famous for his innovative shots that often border on the crazy. De Villiers can play the shot against any bowler, slow or fast. With brilliant reflexes and hand-eye coordination, he prevents any bowler from trying to second-guess him. Once, when he was about to reverse New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, the bowler pulled the length back, trying to scuttle De Villiers’ ploy. However, the South African batting genius, known as Mr 360 degrees, made a split-second adjustment to send the ball to the fence.
Shots Shots Played to the Leg Side
ive
Square Drive
s a type of drive that causes the ball to move in the direction of point. A square drive involves similar arm orientation as does a square cut. Like a cut shot, a square drive is played with a horizontally held bat. In order to play a cut shot, the batsman stands tall and executes the stroke against a rising ball, waist-high or even higher. On the contrary, in order to play a square drive, the batsman would need to bend his knees or crouch low against a ball that rises no higher than his shin and allows him enough width outside the off stump.CutCut
s a shot played with a horizontally held bat against a short-pitched delivery. The batsman playing a cut usually intends to play it wide, for runs. He may play it late as the ball passes him or when it is alongside, not making any effort to impart power. Instead, the batsman uses the pace of the bowler to divert the ball with an angular bat. The batsman usually plays a cut shot off the back foot. However, when the slow pace of the ball allows him to do so, the batsman may choose to play the shot off his front foot. The batsman who plays a cut shot usually rolls the face of the bat over the ball to keep it down. If, instead, the batsman opens the face of the bat to play a cut shot, he runs the risk of offering a catch.SqSquare Cut
re cut results when the batsman hits the ball hit at a tangent to the wicket in the direction of point.
LaLate Cut
tsman may choose to play a late cut as the ball passes his body or even after it passes him, directing the ball to third man.
UpUpper Cut
tsman may choose to play an upper cut when the bowler delivers the ball with extra bounce, offering width on the off side. This is a modern-day cricket shot that can cost the batsman his wicket if it’s not properly done.
StSteer
strong>delivery pitched on or outside the off stump, the batsman may choose to angle the bat at the point of contact, deflecting the ball away from the stumps while using the pace of the ball. This often-used technique to garner runs on the off-side is described as a steer.
ReReverse Sweep
rse sweep is an innovative shot that involves sweeping the ball to the off side towards third man or backward point. To make it easier to reverse sweep the ball, the batsman may reverse the positions of hands on the bat handle. This is a high-risk shot that can result in a top-edged catch or make the batsman prone to become LBW. When executed well, the shot can fetch easy runs as the fielding captain will find it hard to set a field to it. While the awkward positioning of hands and legs can preclude the use of power in the shot, on occasion, batsmen have reverse swept balls for sixes.
Former South African batsman AB de Villiers is one of the best players of the reverse sweep. De Villiers is famous for his innovative shots that often border on the crazy. De Villiers can play the shot against any bowler, slow or fast. With brilliant reflexes and hand-eye coordination, he prevents any bowler from trying to second-guess him. Once, when he was about to reverse New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, the bowler pulled the length back, trying to scuttle De Villiers’ ploy. However, the South African batting genius, known as Mr 360 degrees, made a split-second adjustment to send the ball to the fence.
Shots Shots Played to the Leg Side
ive
Late Cut
tsman may choose to play a late cut as the ball passes his body or even after it passes him, directing the ball to third man.UpUpper Cut
tsman may choose to play an upper cut when the bowler delivers the ball with extra bounce, offering width on the off side. This is a modern-day cricket shot that can cost the batsman his wicket if it’s not properly done.
StSteer
strong>delivery pitched on or outside the off stump, the batsman may choose to angle the bat at the point of contact, deflecting the ball away from the stumps while using the pace of the ball. This often-used technique to garner runs on the off-side is described as a steer.
ReReverse Sweep
rse sweep is an innovative shot that involves sweeping the ball to the off side towards third man or backward point. To make it easier to reverse sweep the ball, the batsman may reverse the positions of hands on the bat handle. This is a high-risk shot that can result in a top-edged catch or make the batsman prone to become LBW. When executed well, the shot can fetch easy runs as the fielding captain will find it hard to set a field to it. While the awkward positioning of hands and legs can preclude the use of power in the shot, on occasion, batsmen have reverse swept balls for sixes.
Former South African batsman AB de Villiers is one of the best players of the reverse sweep. De Villiers is famous for his innovative shots that often border on the crazy. De Villiers can play the shot against any bowler, slow or fast. With brilliant reflexes and hand-eye coordination, he prevents any bowler from trying to second-guess him. Once, when he was about to reverse New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, the bowler pulled the length back, trying to scuttle De Villiers’ ploy. However, the South African batting genius, known as Mr 360 degrees, made a split-second adjustment to send the ball to the fence.
Shots Shots Played to the Leg Side
ive
Steer
strong>delivery pitched on or outside the off stump, the batsman may choose to angle the bat at the point of contact, deflecting the ball away from the stumps while using the pace of the ball. This often-used technique to garner runs on the off-side is described as a steer.ReReverse Sweep
rse sweep is an innovative shot that involves sweeping the ball to the off side towards third man or backward point. To make it easier to reverse sweep the ball, the batsman may reverse the positions of hands on the bat handle. This is a high-risk shot that can result in a top-edged catch or make the batsman prone to become LBW. When executed well, the shot can fetch easy runs as the fielding captain will find it hard to set a field to it. While the awkward positioning of hands and legs can preclude the use of power in the shot, on occasion, batsmen have reverse swept balls for sixes.
Former South African batsman AB de Villiers is one of the best players of the reverse sweep. De Villiers is famous for his innovative shots that often border on the crazy. De Villiers can play the shot against any bowler, slow or fast. With brilliant reflexes and hand-eye coordination, he prevents any bowler from trying to second-guess him. Once, when he was about to reverse New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, the bowler pulled the length back, trying to scuttle De Villiers’ ploy. However, the South African batting genius, known as Mr 360 degrees, made a split-second adjustment to send the ball to the fence.
Shots Shots Played to the Leg Side
ive
Shots Played to the Leg Side
iveThis is a drive shot played by the batsman to direct the ball into the region between the stumps and the mid-on fielding position.
Flick<Flick
tsman can play a flick shot with a vertically held bat against a pitched-up delivery. The shot involves the use of wrists. Commentators describing a flick often use the phrase “clipped off the leg.” The arc of the bat used to execute this shot is like that for an on drive, while the angle of the bat, on the other hand, is turned towards leg. The batsman may choose to play this stroke on either the front or back foot. He could also elect to hit the ball from his hips or off his toes.
India captain Virat Kohli is one of the finest exponents of the flick shot. With a bottom-handed grip, Kohli had a penchant for playing shots on the leg side since his teenage days. Although, he would often be trapped LBW by taller fast bowlers. His coach at the time, Mr. Sharma, is said to have become angry with Virat for trying to flick balls pitched on the middle stump without moving his left leg towards the leg stump. But with dedicated practice, the young Kohli mastered the stroke that has gone on to become his signature shot.
Leg GlLeg Glance
he batsman receives a ball oriented towards the leg side, he may choose to play a delicate flick shot with a vertically held bat as the ball passes him. He will need to work his wrist to turn the ball towards the fine leg or square leg region. Such flick shot is called a leg glance. The batsman must ensure that he moves his body and head inside the line of the delivery even as he makes a late deflection of the bat face towards the leg region. He can play the shot off his hips, shin or toes. He can choose to play off the back foot if he receives a rising delivery that bounces up to his hip or waist, or off the front foot if the bowler pitches the ball up to the batsman’s toes or shin.
PullPull
he batsman receives a ball that bounces up to around his waist, he may choose to play a pull shot. To do so, he would need to execute a cross-batted swing of his bat in front of his body, resulting in the ball travelling towards square leg or mid-wicket.
Pull
he batsman receives a ball that bounces up to around his waist, he may choose to play a pull shot. To do so, he would need to execute a cross-batted swing of his bat in front of his body, resulting in the ball travelling towards square leg or mid-wicket.Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting made the pull shot his signature stroke. Always aggressive, Ponting’s initial movement was on to the front foot which made his ability to pull more impressive. If the bowler dragged the ball down the leg side and was even marginally short, the ball would disappear to the boundary on the leg side. Ponting had mastered the shot to such a degree that he would react instantly when any fast bowler gave him the slightest opportunity to unfurl his favourite stroke. Ponting would always watch the ball intently and pick up the length early enough to be able to move quickly into position and execute the bat swing with great control while holding his head steady.