Shot

A cricket shot is a type of stroke that is used in cricket so that a batsman can deflect a ball away from a bowler. This can be either classic or unconventional, vertical or horizontal, and so on, depending on the player’s technical arsenal, his skills, and the features of a given game episode. Additionally, it can be either vertical or horizontal.

Overview and Classification of Cricket Shots

There is a classification that includes a variety of cricket shots. The idea of the supporting leg, which may be performed with a forward lunge or a backward deflection, is the basis for one of the most preferred exercises:

Ramp shot and switch hit stand out in a separate group.

Front Foot Cricket Shots: Technique and

Front foot shots are performed with an exit towards the serve, provided that it is directed to the sector between a good Length and yorker:

1. Straight Drive is considered one of the most beautiful hits in cricket. A good length along the middle stump/off stump line is where it is most frequently employed. The supporting leg moves forward and slightly bends when making this kind of cricket shot. The wide side of the bowler is facing the bat, and the elbow is raised in a direction that is virtually perpendicular to the bat.
2. Cover Drive. It is comparable to the one that came before it, but it goes in a different direction (to the right, towards covers, which is where the term cricket shot comes from). Due to the fact that the primary objective of the batter in this scenario is to send the ball beyond the cover-fielders in order to prevent an outage, the pivot foot is positioned in the off-side direction, and the bat is turned towards the cover-fielders.
3. On Drive. However, in contrast to strokes of the first and second categories, the ball is aimed toward the leg side in this particular instance. The supporting leg is positioned in front of the bowler, and the knee is bent slightly. The broad side of the bat is angled toward the leg side of the bowler, and the elbow is lifted up. If the batsman strikes the ball with a spade that is too wide, the on drive stroke is one of the potentially risky shots for him to take since it might result in leg before wicket (LBW).
4. Square Drive. Due to the fact that the ball is sent perpendicular to the off side when it is completed correctly, it is a cricket shot that is fraught with danger. Due to the fact that the batsman’s job is to trace the rebound while retaining the highest possible level of free coordination of movements, the supporting leg is bent, the head is on the knee line, but the elbow does not get to its maximum height.
5. Forward Defense. The primary distinction between this cricket shot and the ones that came before it is that the ball is not guided to a particular zone. In a perfect situation, the batsman should simply intercept the ball close to the wicket and then redirect it to the pitch from there. This tactic is used in circumstances where there is a direct risk to the stakes. The leg that is holding the bat is brought forward, the head is elevated over the knee, and the bat is positioned at an angle at a minimal distance from the knee, with a slight slope back toward the ground. When making this stroke, the player frequently employs a technique known as the “soft grip” (sometimes known as “soft hands“) in order to slow down the pace of the ball.
6. Sweep. This stroke has only been used for a short while, and it is mostly employed against slow bowlers. While the batter takes a low stance and lunges, the ball is aimed towards the leg side. The lunge should be wide enough, but it should not interfere with the batsman’s ability to coordinate his motions. The bat rotates such that it is facing the leg side. When the pitch has a high number of rebounders, this cricket shot is less successful, but at the same time, it poses a significant threat to the side that is attacking. Therefore, the captain has the ability to undertake forced castling in certain circumstances, which involves deploying more fielders to this particular area of the field.
7. Reverse Sweep.This stroke is identical to the one that came before it, with the exception that the ball is aimed at the other side of the field. Therefore, in order to execute it correctly, the batsman needs to switch their grip from right to left.
8. Front Foot Leg Glance. The ball is directed to the leg side, and the batsman does not need to be highly accurate, since it all depends on how quickly he manages to intercept the ball. The leg goes forward, the elbow is up, the bat is aligned parallel to the supporting leg. When receiving the ball, the player must turn it towards the leg side with one movement, without changing the position as a whole.

Back Foot Cricket Shots and Unconventional Strokes

When performing back foot shots, the batsman literally “backs away”; in this case, the role of the supporting leg is played by the one behind. They are typically used on high-bounce pitches.

1. Back Foot Drive. The ball goes to the front sector off side. Before the reception, the batsman makes the so-called “trigger movement”: a small step back, the elbow goes high up, the bat is deployed strictly vertically along the line of the ball.
2. Back Foot Defense. A player who makes the decision to perform this type of cricket shot is tasked with the responsibility of intercepting the ball and guiding it to the ground, where it will be out of the reach of the fielders. As the bat is rotated vertically at a minor angle to the pitch, the supporting leg is repositioned slightly backwards, the back is straightened, the elbow is stretched upwards, and the bat is turned vertically.
3. Square Cut. It is regarded as an appropriate weapon against inadequately precise feed. The supporting leg is positioned behind the ball, the elbow is oriented parallel to the pitch, and the bat continues the line of the arm. The ball is guided to the middle section of the off side zone. It is the responsibility of the player to receive the ball as late as possible so that the fielders do not have to speculate about the path that the rebound will take after it has been received.
4. Pull cricket shot. Another stroke that is more difficult to hit, yet it is still fairly effective even when used against quick bowlers. One of the supporting legs is positioned behind the other, the bat is positioned horizontally, and the torso is turned slightly to the left. This configuration makes it possible to efficiently redirect the ball to the leg side.
5. Hook Shot. This cricket shot is practically no different from the previous one, but in this case, the bat is raised to shoulder level to accommodate the “high” feed. The weight is carried back, the arms are extended, the body is extended, the other leg can be lifted off the ground. As in the case of the pull shot, the additional acceleration is given to the ball primarily by turning the batsman’s torso.
6. Back Foot Leg Glance. It also goes to the leg side. The supporting leg is behind, the elbow goes up, the bat is directed vertically downward with a slight slope to the right. In this case, the player should strive not to put as much effort into the blow as possible but to meet the ball as late as possible, directing it to the leg side sector that is most inconvenient for the opponent.
7. Uppercut. One of the “young” shots, which is more often used in the limited-overs format. The ball goes up over the off side; for the best effect, the player rests on the back foot, swinging the bat horizontally, just above the shoulders, with a slope towards the off side.

Interestingly, the ramp cricket shot and switch hit are new punches used relatively rarely, especially in test cricket. So, the first is considered quite dangerous because, throwing the ball over himself, the batsman risks hitting the head. Correct execution of the second, i.e. switch hit, requires a mirrored change of position, which many players find uncomfortable.