Reverse sweep

In the sport of cricket, one of the techniques to reflect the ball is called a reverse sweep, which is the opposite of the ordinary sweep. Taking the ball to the bat, the batsman redirects it not to the Leg side, but to the Off side, towards the Backward Point/ Third man. When completing a reverse sweep in cricket, the player has the right to shift the supporting leg in order to give the ball a trajectory that is similar to the conventional one. Additionally, it is permissible to alter the grip, which means that the left hand may be placed over the right hand and vice versa.

Technique and Risk of the Reverse Sweep

Due to the fact that its delivery considerably enhances the likelihood of leg before wicket, a reverse sweep is regarded as a stroke that has a high degree of associated risk. On the other hand, it gives you the ability to confuse the field team, which is why even the most radical opponents acknowledge its usefulness.

It is necessary for the player to have a low stance and lunge in order to successfully complete the reverse sweep. When the batter makes contact with the ball, the bat is on a horizontal plane near to the pitch. However, at the precise instant of impact, the batsman rapidly twists the bat over, which causes the projectile to go in the opposite direction.

Even if the player executes the reverse sweep kick correctly, there is no guarantee that they will be able to cut the ball into the appropriate angle. This is due to the fact that the cricket reverse sweep involves a significant amount of physical work. The reason for this is because even the masters do not always succeed in issuing a six using the reverse sweep, despite the fact that this is the best possible outcome.

History and Origin of the Reverse Sweep

Mushtaq Mohammad, a Pakistani batsman whose career peaked in the 1970s of the previous century, is widely acknowledged as the true author of the book “Reverse sweep”. He later recalled:

“In one of the matches, we faced Middlesex, for which the great Fred Titmus played. We already had a big gap in the score, and Freddie, an unsurpassed off-spinner, had to serve. I couldn’t make a single run. And then I looked around and saw that the only gap remains near the Third man. Of course, I thought of this blow, but Titmus appealed! Poor old Freddie, he was literally tearing his hair out. But the umpire said, “You had a ball in your hand, and he had a bat. He has the right to do whatever he wants with her.” It was 1964.”

Bob Woolmer, the coach, was the primary person responsible for popularizing the new strike. Andy Flower, who hails from Zimbabwe, and Javed Miandad, who hails from Pakistan, both used the reverse sweep with great success on several occasions. Additionally, despite the fact that this blow is often seen as being challenging and unconventional, there are a few players who have been able to make it their calling card. One such player is the Englishman Paul Nixon, who used the reverse sweep many times during the World Cup final in 2007. On the other hand, there were also overlays.

For instance, during the 1987 World Cup, Mike Gatting attempted to execute a reverse sweep in order to represent a somewhat non-aggressive serve. However, he was not successful and the ball was thrown directly towards Gregory Dyer, who was the wicket-keeper. Taking this wicket was very costly for the English national team, as it resulted in a significant dip in their run rate, which ultimately led to their loss only one step away from winning the championship.

Masters of the Reverse Sweep

Reverse sweep does not lose its popularity, so the lists of masters of this blow are regularly updated:

1. Andy Flower (Zimbabwe). Even though his main role on the field remained as a wicket-keeper, Andy invariably received an invitation to the national team throughout the 90s and 2000s. He not only perfectly mastered the Reverse sweep, but also noticeably improved this blow, thanks to which he repeatedly helped his team out in the most difficult situations. Flower’s real benefit was the 1999 World Cup and the Nagpur series, where he scored 232 runs in one inning.
2. B. de Villiers (South Africa). This player is not for nothing considered one of the revolutionaries of modern cricket: in addition to an impressive arsenal of strikes, he was also famous for his ability to quickly change tactics, switching from a regular Sweep to a Reverse sweep, hitting balls into any part of the playground.
3. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh). One of the most difficult opponents for any spin bowler, Rahim became famous primarily for his footwork. And although he tends more to sweep than to reverse sweep, he manages the second blow at least as well.
4. Sachin Tendulkar (India). One of the greatest batsmen of all time, Tendulkar was particularly good at sweeps of all categories. It is not for nothing that he is called a “living textbook for young people” since there is not a single stroke that he would not master. Sachin was equally good both in defense and in attack, and even injuries did not force him to abandon one of the basic principles – not to go beyond the crease.
5. Younis Khan (Pakistan). Khan has always been proud of the high quality of his reverse sweep. It is significant that he made his ten thousandth run and the only triple hundred just with the help of this blow; moreover, his last out was also a consequence of Reverse sweep. Some representatives of this list (in particular, A.B. de Villiers) called Younis their idol and role model in the world of professional cricket.

This is interesting: even though the inventor of cricket reverse sweep is considered to be Mushtaq Mohammad, some cricket historians believe that in reality, this idea belongs to his brother Hanif.