In this blog we are describing all types of cricketing shots. To understand the various cricketing shots, we must know the following basics of batting.
Stance: It is the initial position of batsman, standing to face the ball.
Backlift: The way batsman lifts his bat in preparation for hitting the ball is known as backlift.
Forward & Backward: Depending upon the length where ball is pitching, the batsman will either move forward or backward to play the ball. Shots played by moving forward are known as front foot shot where as shots played by moving backward are known as back foot shot.
There are mainly three types of shots in cricket:
A] Vertical Bat Shot
B] Horizontal Bat Shot
C] Unorthodox Shot
A] Vertical Bat Shot
Defensive shot: It is a shot used to stop the ball from hitting wickets or batsman’s body. There is no intention of getting runs on this shot. A defensive shot played on front foot is known as forward defense, while that played on back foot is known as backward defense.
Leg glance: This is an extremely delicate shot played on the ball which is slightly on leg side using the bat to flick the ball with wrists directing it towards square leg or fine leg area.
Drive: Drive is a straight batted shot played on front foot by swinging the bat vertically through the line of the ball. Depending upon the direction of the ball travels, it can be cover drive, square drive, off drive, straight drive or on drive. There is also one more drive known as lofted drive in which batsman hits the ball over infielders and in some case over the boundary.
Flick: Flick is a straight batted shot similar to leg glance. It is played on full length delivery using wrists. One needs really strong wrists to play flick than to play leg glance.
B] Horizontal Bat Shot
Cut: Cut is a cross batted shot played usually on short pitched ball directing it towards off side. Depending upon the direction of the ball travels, if it goes towards point, it is called as square drive. Late cut is q quite risky shot which is played after the ball passes batsman’s body and directed towards third man. It is usually played on back foot.
Pull: Pull is a cross batted shot played to a ball bouncing above waist height by swinging the bat horizontally i.e., pulling it to direct the ball towards mid-wicket or square leg.
Hook: Hook is similar to pull only difference is that it is played against a ball bouncing above chest height of batsman.
Sweep: Sweep is a cross batted shot played against a low bouncing ball usually around knee height by kneeing on one knee and swinging the bat around horizontally to direct the ball towards square leg. When the sweep is played to direct the ball towards fine leg is known as paddle sweep.
C] Unorthodox Shot
Reverse Sweep: Reverse sweep is similar to the conventional sweep only difference is that it is a cross batted shot which is played on opposite direction of standard sweep. Therefore, the ball goes to off side instead of leg side.
Slog: Slog is similar to pull shot but only difference is that it is much powerful shot played over mid-wicket in an attempt score a six.
Slog sweep: Slog sweep is a powerful sweep shot directed over square leg.
Upper cut: Upper cut is a shot played towards third man to a delivery outside off on short length with extra bit of bounce. It is a risky shot and mostly used is T20 cricket.
Switch hit: In switch hit, batsman changes his handedness i.e., left handed batsman bats like right handed batsman and right-handed batsman bats like left-batsman while the bowler is running to bowl.
Ramp or Scoop: This shot is played against short pitched straight balls. To play this shot, batsman comes on front foot, gets beneath the bounce of the ball and hit directly behind the stumps, up and over the wicket-keeper.
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