Batting in Cricket Tips for Professional Cricketers

Hey guys , today I will be sharing some most effective and vital batting in cricket tips .This blog is very essential for a budding cricketer who wants to make progress in batting . These are not tips but lessons which I learnt in my own cricketing journey and will definitely help you throughout your career . Once you seriously go through and execute these points , you will see drastic difference in your performance . I too saw an increase in my runs by following these advice from my coaches and continuously working on it .

Before starting our blog , I would like to introduce some basic points about batting in cricket . It will be useful for the ones who are just starting cricket or who don’t know much about it . And the ones who are already in the business can surely proceed to the masterclass .

WHAT IS BATTING IN CRICKET ?

• A cricketer at a time can play only one of the three major roles i.e. batter , bowler or a fielder .
• And the actions and skills of a batter to score runs against a bowler or protect his/her wicket are referred to as batting in cricket .
• A bowler bowls to a batter and accordingly batter responds to it in any way the batter wants. The intent can either be of attacking the ball and scoring runs by beating fielders in the field or to defend the ball and survive .
• There are many types of batters which mainly differs of the mindset of the batter . Some like to attack the bowler from the very first ball only while some take their time and score runs slowly .
• There are different positions in which a batter plays . This includes an top order , middle order and lower order batsman . Generally , top order batters are slow starters and focus more on timing the ball well .Middle order batters are power hitters and are better in striking the old ball . And lower order generally consists of all-rounders and bowlers .
• Some of the legendary batters in cricket history are Sachin Tendulkar , Brian Lara , Kumar Sangakkara , Ricky Ponting , Virat Kohli etc.

HOW TO HOLD A CRICKET BAT CORRECTLY ?

The question may sound naive and you might be thinking “What rubbish” . But consciously or unconsciously, batters tend to ignore this essential part of batting in cricket . They take it very lightly and don’t understand the importance of properly holding a bat . From beginners to international players , many unknowingly struggle because of wrong grip on the bat .

There are many ways to hold a bat which may differ as per the situation and batters too . You just need to know about various possible grips and then make your own decision after hit and trial that what works for YOU . Never copy anyone , experience yourself and choose the most convenient grip .

1. You should neither hold the bat from the top nor bottom (or shoulder of the bat ) of the handle . Always place both your hands in middle of the handle for better results .
2. When players hold their bat from bottom (shoulder of bat) of the handle , the grip is known as short handle . This grip is usually used by batters who want more control and have defensive technique . One of the most prominent examples is Cheteshwar Pujara of India .
3. And when batters hold their bat from the top of the handle , the grip is known as long-handle. Generally, batters who want to increase their reach and want to hit powerful sixes use long handle grip . Many big-hitters from West Indies use this grip like Keiron Pollard , Andre Rusell , Carlos Brathwaite etc.
4. There should always be some gap between both the hands while holding the bat , otherwise it will affect the fluency of the bat flow . Some batters prefer to keep their hands apart while some keep too close .
5. Top hand should be tight while bottom hand must be left slightly loose . You need to use only thumb , index and middle finger of your bottom hand ,or else it will become difficult for you to play on off-side .
6. Generally , batters who play big shots make their bottom hand tight as well . It is very important to make your bottom hand tight to generate extra power in your shots .

V-GRIP or traditional grip for batting in cricket

• This is the basic grip which any good coach will always TRY to teach you .
• In this , you simply have to make a V with your thumb and index finger with both your hands . And align both the hands in one line on the handle along the bat spine (swollen backside of bat) .
• Thumb and the fingers are not in contact here .
• Mostly players who focus on timing the ball use this grip .

Another popular grip is the O-GRIP

• We all begin cricket with this grip only as it is very comfortable for playing rash shots on leg-side .
• But in academies , it is not recommended as it hinders your off-side game and hands’ flexibility. While using this grip , sometimes our bottom hand becomes tight and ball tends to go up in air.
• In this , your hands simply surround the handle by joining your thumb and the fingers.The thumb and fingers are in contact here which reduces some movements of the bat .
• Generally, players who want to hit the ball harder for sixes use O- grip .

HOW TO TAKE BATTING STANCE IN CRICKET ?

After the grip , your batting setup or body position is an essential part of your batting . Basically how will you stand at the crease before facing delivery is known as your batting stance . We will go step by step upwards from toe to head and make our stance perfect .

1. Take your batting guard : Body balance must be the primary priority for any batter who want to score loads of runs in cricket . And balance will improve only if your base is strong i.e. your legs . You need to know where you are standing or else you can never judge the line and length of the ball properly .

You need to choose any one spot on the pitch where you will stand and cover your wicket . There are three stumps i.e. off , middle and leg which comprises the wicket . You have to place both your legs in a line with any one stick of the wicket which you are most comfortable with . You should exactly know where your stumps are , especially your off-stump .

Then , ask the umpire who is exactly at your opposite wicket to confirm whether you are standing on your preferred stick or not . If yes , you need to mark it on batting crease either with your bat or spike shoes for your convenience. This process is known as taking batting guard from umpire . It is very important as your next actions and shot selection will be majorly based on your batting guard .

2. Legs Position : Once you take your guard , you must make your legs as much broad as your shoulders are . Your legs should be parallel to each other , their tips pointing towards point region . You cannot stand upright while batting . You need to bend your knees a little bit for better feet movement . Put your one leg inside the batting crease and another one outside it .

You should stand balanced at the center . Your weight should neither be on your toes nor on your heels . The main key is to be comfortable , relaxed and balanced .

Ideally , you should stand still on your guard until the bowler releases the ball . But some players stand differently while bowler is in his run-up and then come back to their preferred position . This movement of their feet to comeback to their original position is known as trigger movement of a batter. Generally , batters stand outside leg stump and then move to middle or leg stump to cover their off stump .

3. Bat Position : First , hold the bat as the way you want . Then , lift your bat to your shoulder level which is known as backlift . Higher the backlift , higher the force on the ball . In low backlift , it becomes difficult to play short balls or bouncers .Bottom or toe of your bat should point towards third-man or third-slip . While lifting , you need to open the face of your bat a little bit . Tap your bat just behind your back foot .

4. Arm Position : Your arm position must be just like when you hold a new born baby and arms movement like pendulum . Your front elbow and shoulder bust be in line with your head pointing towards the bowler. Make sure the bowler doesn’t see your other (back) shoulder and elbow .

5. Head Position : Many people focus on feet movement and bat speed . But if you would ask me , secret of all successful batters is their still head . Since , head is the heaviest part of our body , wherever our head will move our body will follow . If your head is not in good position , your body will become unbalanced and you will not get desired power or timing on the ball .Hence , your head should always be still while bowler is running towards you and focus on the bowler’s hands only .

This whole body stance is known as side-on or closed stance in cricket . But if you are standing and showing your chest and back shoulder to the bowler while facing the ball , it is known as open, open chested or square-on stance .

MY OPINION

I would suggest all beginners to start with the conventional grip and stance only mentioned above. But after certain age and developed muscle memory, it sometimes becomes difficult to change the whole structure . Therefore , stick to your current technique only if it has been giving results to you and you do not have that much time to restart your game from 0 . But if you are not getting results and facing same problems while batting , you can always improve slowly day by day .

If you have been advised by your coach to make some changes in your trigger movement ,stance , grip or anything , always listen to him/her . Before making any changes , always discuss it with your coach because no one knows your game better than me . He will be in the best position to guide you in the right direction by helping you in adjusting properly according to your natural game and batting style .

Also , NEVER MAKE DRASTIC CHANGES IN YOUR TECHNIQUE OR BATTING STYLE . Always make small adjustments in your batting according to the recurring problem discussing with your coach only . If you will make wholesome changes , you will find yourselves in bad situation . You will lose your confidence and will have to start again from a zero .

RIGHT APPROACH FOR BATTING PRACTICE IN ACADEMY / CLUB

• As a beginner , we all feel that we cannot even compete with our seniors in our academy , then how can we play for our country ? The simple answer to it is to practice in a direction . You need to practice a lot with high focus , consistency and intensity for many years to reach somewhere in cricket .

• It does not matter whether you are orthodox batter or not . What matters is that whether you are the number 1 in what you do or not ? And you can become the best only when you respect your game and play according to it .

• You must have heard of 80/20 or Pareto principle . You simply need to follow it . It states that 80 % of results come from 20% of your actions . Just analyse your game properly and figure out that 20 % of your activities while practicing that is most relevant and important for increasing your runs .

• After you start implementing this proven technique , you will soon realize your cricket becoming lot more simpler . No one in this world can be perfect . So why to waste our time and energy in practicing shots which may not be useful for you .

• Yes , if you want to excel in professional cricket , you need to give 100 % results. But your first priority must always to focus on those 20 % routines which fetch you the majority (80%) results . And for the remaining results too , you need to come out of your comfort zone and work hard daily . And the one who does it , travels the long distance from a good batter to a legendary batter .

For example :

• An opener should always first prepare himself to bat against swing and fast bowlers . And make strategy to score runs in the powerplay .

• A middle order batter to play against spinners and score maximum runs through singles and doubles .

• And power hitters who strike the ball at the end should concentrate more on hitting fours and sixes and finishing game for their team .

I WOULD RECOMMEND 80/20 PRINCIPLE FOR BATTERS PLAYING AT INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED LEVEL ONLY WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO SCORE RUNS CONSISTENTLY . AS A BEGINNER , IT IS DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS IN A YEAR OR SO WHEN YOU ARE LEARNING THE BASICS ONLY . YOU NEED SOME AMOUNT OF MATCH EXPERIENCE TO KNOW YOUR BATTING POSITION AND AREAS TO FOCUS ON .

THEREFORE , A BEGINNER SHOULD HAVE AN ALL-ROUND DEVELOPMENT AND NOT FOCUS ON 80/20 PRINCIPLE EARLY ON . BUT THE FOLLOWING BATTING IN CRICKET TIPS WILL SURELY BE BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH BEGINNERS AS WELL AS EXPERIENCED PLAYERS TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE .

HOW TO IMPROVE BATTING IN CRICKET ACADEMY ?

1. BATTING EQUIPMENT AND PROTECTIVE GEAR

• You need to pick quality protective gears and bat which are of your size only .
• Many players blame themselves for their poor performance but sometimes there is an unnoticed enemy in your house . This enemy is your cricket bat and other equipment which you buy of wrong size or poor quality.
• As a beginner , you don’t have much knowledge about the things to consider before buying cricket equipment . You will learn this art with experience only .
• Equipment size plays a crucial role in enhancing or worsening your performance . Many batters are not able to realize that they might be facing problems because of wrong size and weight of their cricket equipment. You will always face problems while facing the bowlers , running between the wickets and making movements to play shots because of wrong size .
• Never compromise with the quality of any protective gear to save few bucks . Nothing is important than your life . And a quality bat and equipment will always improve your batting experience and performance . Always buy a quality full cricket kit as a one time investment .

2. SHADOW PRACTICE AND DRILLS :

• As a beginner , you need to devote large part of your time and energy towards practicing all traditional shots.
• You should regularly do shadow practice and underarm ball drills of front foot defense in all three directions i.e. leg , middle , off and outside off stump . And after you get good control of your defenses , you need to do the same with arm extension and drives like leg (on) , straight , off and cover drive .
• After these , you need to master all other necessary backfoot shots too like square-cut , pull , punch etc. regularly . If you really worked hard in batting drills and shadows continuously, you will see drastic improvement in your batting . And if your determined enough , you must see a completely upgraded version of yourself in 6 months only .

3. OPEN NETS PRACTICE SESSION :

• If you want to take your game to a next level , you need to have an open nets session or a friendly match minimum once a week .This is very important for every cricketer to get used to the same situation and pressure in a match and perform to the potential. If you do not have enough match practice , you will always feel uncomfortable and unconfident standing on the pitch .

BONUS TIP :

4. MATCH SIMULATION : YOU NEED TO PLAY IN NET PRACTICES AS IF YOU ARE PLAYING IN A MATCH ONLY .

• Ask any successful batter to give any tip, he would always recommend you to play in the same way in nets as you play in matches . It develops your muscle memory . You will always feel confident in the match if you back your gameplan in practice sessions too .
• It becomes your habit and very effortless to play in a certain way if you repeat it again and again .
• But some batters don’t understand it’s importance and their approach is different in matches and net practice. If you want your batting to be fluent and effective , you need to create match like environment and field positions in your mind . And then play according to the target given by your coach or you to yourself .
• Generally , if you are a top order batter , you must play more grounded shots for singles , doubles and boundaries in nets . While batters at no. 6 or 7 can concentrate on hitting the ball hard .
• But yes , you can give yourself the opposite challenge one day every weak . Like hitting the ball for sixes for defensive batters and protecting wickets , playing grounded shots and finding gaps constantly for attacking batters .

IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH IN BATTING ?

• You can never be mentally strong if you are not physically fit and vice-versa . They are inter-connected . I will not be going deep down inside the science of this connection . But I can surely teach you the required aspects of mental and physical fitness for batting in cricket .

PHYSICAL

• Fitness does not mean that you need to hit the gym everyday and make bulky body . You need not become a weightlifter neither a marathon runner or sprinter . You must not push yourself a lot while doing exercises . This is what a lot players do and get injured which sometimes end their careers .
• Building physical fitness is a gradual process and cannot be achieved in one single day . You need to know the fact that we are humans and we have certain limits and you need to act according to your limits .Yes , you need to push your limits but it has to be done gradually and practically .Never expect results immediately .
• If you go gym regularly , then you should not rely completely on it . I would always suggest you to have only light sessions in gym unless you have your personal trainer . Because an expert can only take you in the right direction . He will guide you to maintain workload balance between gym and cricket without compromising flexibility and getting injuries .
• Never think gym is necessary for playing cricket . You just need to combine cardiovascular exercises with body strengthening exercises in your fitness routine . Some of the vital exercises for batting in cricket are :
  • Long distance running , sprinting in batting pads
  • Forearm strengthening using two bats
  • Hanging ball practice with top hand only
  • Variations in push-ups , pull-ups , planks , squats , crunches etc.

THESE EXERCISES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN DONE CONSISTENTLY AND AFTER THE DAILY PRACTICE WHEN YOU GET TIRED .

MENTAL

• 85 % of your performance depends upon your mental toughness . That is enough to make you understand the importance of the role of your mind .
• Role of a batter is to make runs and you should always walk into the ground with the mindset of scoring runs. You need to respect good deliveries from the bowler and defend the ball too . But never come with a defensive mindset . You don’t really need to attack bowlers but have a positive mindset that you cannot get out and are here to make runs only .
• Whenever you are struggling with poor form , you should always speak to yourself that “It’s Easy ” or “I can Do It ” or any motivating line or song in which you believe a lot .
• Whether it is cricket or life , “WATCH GOOD , HEAR GOOD , SAY GOOD “ which will calm your mind .
• Every great batter face nervousness while batting but they gain confidence over the period of time with their experience only . Therefore , as a beginner you can only feel confident on the pitch if you have spent a lot of time batting in a match . That is why many coaches tell us to at least stay on the pitch , runs will come automatically .
• You need to play with extra focus and intent when you have just come to bat . It does not matter how many dot balls you played . When you survive the difficult period and settle down your nerves , runs come effortlessly .

MY BATTING IN CRICKET

I have been batting with all the conventional techniques from many years and getting results too . All the tips I gave you have come straight from my heart as I seriously follow these and have observed drastic changes in my batting and confidence level . When I was a beginner , I did not liked following those traditional batting drills and techniques . I too wanted to bat like I want .

Yes , it takes time and effort to change your batting setup . You will feel uncomfortable but for changing results , you need to come out of your comfort zone . So did I and got massive growth in both defensive and attacking play .

CONCLUSION

• Traditional techniques and skills in batting taught by coaches worldwide are purely based on SCIENCE . Above mentioned tips by me were the same. These are not any historical believes .That is why every beginner is always told to first master the basics as these are based on logic .

• The rational behind copybook techniques and drills is to make you comfortable and well equiped for any line or length ball . No one can be 100 percent accurate but the point is to reduce the probability of getting out as much as possible . Majority of international players have solid traditional technique which allows them to play at their full potential .

• As a beginner , it is always recommended to blindly follow what your coach says . Players just need to understand their game and with time and experience , they will know their strengths . And after examining those, they can modify their grip , stance etc.

But there is no hard and fast rule to follow the perfect book of batting in cricket .

• There have been batters in the past who had their own technique and mindset . Many have unorthodox batting style like Fawad Alam , Shivnarine Chanderpaul , Faf Du Plessis , MS Dhoni , Steve Smith etc. They played at the highest level of cricket and their numbers speak for themselves . Just because they focused more on getting runs and not the technique , and hence got massive success with bat .

• Your ultimate goal should be of scoring runs in the match and not of looking attractive and playing classic shots . There are players who just get so entangled in just perfecting their technique that they forget they just need to figure out a way to score runs . Selectors just look at your runs , not you .

• Yes, technique liberates you . Proper skill will always help you in the long run but that’s not the case for everyone . You can be successful with any batting style if you work hard smartly and focus on more important areas .Therefore , develop a run making mindset and improve, adjust and analyse your batting in cricket continuously .

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QUESTION OF THE DAY : ARE YOU AN ORTHODOX OR UNORTHODOX BATTER ?