All Types Of Cricket Shots Explanation: how to play it, notable experts on that shot, and who is credited with inventing it.
List of Best 27 Cricket Shots
Which shot is you like most. please comment below for that shot. we described the shot in details in other article along with video.
1. Defensive Shot
How to play: This is considered to be the first shot of cricket, this shot is played with the aim of saving the wicket instead of making runs. The batsman uses his bat with straight hands and plays the ball with light hands. In this the batsman does not give any chance to the fielding team to get out. This is the basic aspect of the beginning of cricket, along with time some other players have also played a role in playing this shot.
Expert: Rahul Dravid is considered to be the most expert in this technique, who has also been given the title of THE WALL for this.
2. Off Drive
How to play: The off drive is a classical cricket shot which is becoming even better in the present generation. When the ball is bowled on the off side, the batsman takes his step forward at the same time with the entire face of the bat. The ball is driven into the off side.
Expert: The name of God of Cricket comes in the master of this shot – Sachin Tendulkar. Who is known for such shots, better timing throughout his career.
3. On Drive
How to play: Like off drive, it is also played on the ground, but in this the ball comes on the leg side. The batsman puts his weight on his front foot, and plays the ball straight on the on side. Good timing and placement is important in this shot.
Expert: Sir Vivian Richards is famous for his On Drive. He used to attack the bowlers with his aggressive stroke play and powerful drives.
4. Cover Drive
How to play: The cover drive is played on the off side, between extra cover and mid-off. Batsmen extend their front foot towards the pitch of the ball and drive it with a full follow-through of the bat, aiming to find the gap in the field.
Expert: Sir Donald Bradman was renowned for his elegant and flawless cover drives, often described as a textbook example of the shot.
5. Square Drive
How to play: The square drive is a powerful shot played square of the wicket on the off side. Batsmen wait for slightly wider deliveries and use their wrists to guide the ball behind point or cover, generating significant power. Similar to other shots, the square drive developed over time as batsmen sought to expand their range of scoring options.
Expert: Ricky Ponting was known for his devastating square drives, often punishing bowlers with his aggressive strokeplay.
6. Pull Shot
How to play: The pull shot is played to a short-pitched delivery on the leg side, usually towards mid-wicket or square leg. Batsmen quickly transfer their weight onto the back foot and use a horizontal bat to hit the ball in front of square.
Expert: Sir Vivian Richards and Brian Lara were masters of the pull shot, using their immense power and timing to dispatch short deliveries with ease.
7. Hook Shot
How to play: Similar to the pull shot, the hook shot is a more aggressive stroke played to a bouncer aimed at the body. Batsmen pivot on their back foot and swing the bat horizontally, aiming to hit the ball over the head of the fielders behind square leg. Like many shots in cricket, the hook shot evolved over time as batsmen sought ways to counter the increasing pace and aggression of bowlers.
Expert: Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Garfield Sobers were known for their fearless hook shots, often taking on the fastest bowlers with confidence.
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8. Cut Shot
How to play: The cut shot is played square on the off side, typically to a short and wide delivery. Batsmen use their wrists to guide the ball behind point or cover, exploiting any width offered by the bowler.
Expert: Sir Jack Hobbs was renowned for his elegant and precise cut shots, often dissecting the field with surgical precision.
9. Sweep Shot
How to play: The sweep shot is played to a delivery pitching outside the off stump, where the batsman gets down on one knee and sweeps the ball towards the leg side. The bat is swung in a horizontal arc, making contact with the ball as it bounces, usually in front of square leg or fine leg.
Expert: Kumar Sangakkara was known for his mastery of the sweep shot, using it to great effect against spinners on turning tracks.
10. Reverse Sweep
How to play: The reverse sweep is a shot where the batsman switches his hands and plays a sweep shot on the off side of the pitch. The batsman effectively becomes a left-hander (for a right-handed batsman) or vice versa, using the back of the bat to guide the ball towards the off side.
Expert: Kevin Pietersen popularized the reverse sweep in modern cricket, using it to unsettle bowlers and manipulate the field with his unorthodox strokeplay.
11. Helicopter Shot
How to play: The helicopter shot is a unique and high-risk stroke where the batsman flicks the ball towards the leg side with a full swing of the bat. The bat is held high and swung in a helicopter-like motion, generating power and momentum to send the ball soaring over the infield.
Expert: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is synonymous with the helicopter shot, having popularized it in limited-overs cricket with his ability to clear the boundary with ease.
12. Dilscoop (Scoop Shot)
How to play: The Dilscoop, also known as the scoop shot, is played by scooping the ball over the wicketkeeper’s or slip fielders’ head. The batsman premeditates the shot, getting into position early and using a combination of timing and wristwork to lift the ball over the fielders in the infield.
Expert: Tillakaratne Dilshan is credited with inventing and popularizing the Dilscoop, using it effectively in limited-overs cricket to score quick runs and unsettle bowlers.
13. Flick Shot
How to play: The flick shot is a wristy stroke played off the pads towards the leg side. Batsmen use their wrists to whip the ball into gaps, usually played to deliveries on middle or leg stump.
Expert: Virender Sehwag was known for his explosive flick shots, using his lightning-fast hand-eye coordination to dispatch deliveries to the boundary.
14. Glance
How to play: The glance is a delicate shot played off the pads towards fine leg. Batsmen use the pace of the delivery to guide the ball with a slight deflection, often used to rotate strike or score boundaries behind square on the leg side.
Expert: Sachin Tendulkar was a master of the glance, using his impeccable timing and placement to maneuver the ball into gaps with precision.
15. Late Cut
How to play: The late cut is a controlled shot played at the last moment to guide the ball past the slip fielders towards the third man region. Batsmen wait for the ball to come close to the bat before opening the face and guiding it with soft hands.
Expert: Rahul Dravid was known for his mastery of the late cut, using it to great effect to manipulate the field and frustrate bowlers with his deft touch.
16. Switch Hit
How to play: The switch hit is a highly unconventional shot where the batsman changes his stance and grip to effectively become a left-handed batsman (for a right-handed batsman) or vice versa. The shot is typically played to outfox the fielding side, with the batsman adjusting their position to target gaps in the field.
Expert: Kevin Pietersen popularized the switch hit in modern cricket, using it to great effect to unsettle bowlers and shift the momentum of the game in his team’s favor.
17. Upper Cut
How to play: The upper cut is a shot played with an open bat face to guide the ball over the slip fielders or gully towards the third man boundary. Batsmen use the pace of the delivery to help lift the ball over the infield with control and precision.
Expert: Ricky Ponting was known for his authoritative upper cuts, often punishing short-pitched deliveries with impeccable timing and placement.
18. Square Cut
How to play: The square cut is a powerful shot played square of the wicket on the off side. Batsmen wait for slightly wider deliveries and use their wrists to guide the ball behind point or cover, generating significant power.
Expert: Sir Jack Hobbs was renowned for his elegant and precise square cuts, often dissecting the field with surgical precision.
19. Front Foot Drive
How to play: A classical cricketing shot where the batsman strides forward to drive the ball with a straight bat, usually played to fuller deliveries on or outside off stump.
Expert: Sir Donald Bradman was renowned for his flawless front foot drives, often piercing the field with textbook strokes.
20. Back Foot Drive
How to play: Similar to the front foot drive, but played off the back foot, typically to deliveries on a slightly shorter length. Batsmen use their back foot movement to create space and time their strokes to perfection.
Expert: Sir Vivian Richards was known for his explosive back foot drives, often dispatching deliveries with brute force and power. Back foot driving, like front foot driving, has been a part of cricket since its early days, evolving as batting techniques and equipment improved.
21. Nurgle
How to play: A soft-handed shot played with an angled bat face, usually towards the leg side to rotate strike or find gaps in the field. Batsmen use delicate touch and precision to maneuver the ball into spaces.
Expert: Rahul Dravid was known for his mastery of the nurgle, using it to manipulate the field and rotate strike effectively during his innings.
22. French Cut
How to play: A fortuitous shot where the ball edges off the inside edge of the bat, narrowly missing the stumps and running down to fine leg or square leg. Batsmen play it unintentionally but can sometimes use it to their advantage.
Expert: While no specific player is associated with the French cut, it’s a stroke that every batsman has experienced at some point in their career.
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23. Butterfly Stroke
How to play: The term “Butterfly Stroke” is used humorously to describe a very unorthodox shot, often resulting from a mishit or mistimed stroke.
Expert: It’s not a recognized cricketing shot but rather a colloquial term used to describe unconventional batting.
24. Slog Sweep
How to play: A powerful and aggressive shot, typically played against spinners, aiming to hit the ball over the infield for maximum runs. The batsman often takes a big swing of the bat, targeting the deep mid-wicket or long-on boundary.
Expert: Chris Gayle is known for his explosive slog sweeps, often clearing the boundary with ease and changing the course of the game in T20 cricket.
25. Ramp Shot
How to play: A shot played by lifting the front foot and flicking the ball over the wicketkeeper’s head, often used against fast bowlers in limited-overs cricket. The batsman premeditates the shot and times it to perfection to evade the fielders in the infield.
Expert: Tillakaratne Dilshan popularized the ramp shot in modern cricket, using it effectively to score runs in limited-overs cricket and innovate his batting approach.
26. Reverse Ramp Shot
How to play: A highly audacious shot where the batsman turns around and ramps the ball over the wicketkeeper’s head with a reverse bat. It’s typically played to counter slower deliveries or yorkers in T20 cricket, catching the fielding side off guard.
Expert: AB de Villiers is known for his innovation in cricket shots, including the reverse ramp shot, which he’s played with great success in T20 cricket.
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