All Types of Cricket Shots – A Complete Guide

Cricket is a game where any shot played by a batter is praised and enriched by the viewers and fans if that shot is a combination of effortless timing, placement, power, and elegance. Even an unorthodox cricket shot is praised in modern-day cricket.

In this piece, we discuss all types of cricketing shots in detail:

1. Front Foot and Back Foot Defence

A batter plays a front foot defence to block a delivery that is bowled on the good-length area, which is in the line of the stumps. It is played to block a good delivery by taking the front foot forward and leaning forward.

In the case of a back foot defence, when the delivery is short, the batter goes backwards to block the ball, standing tall on his feet and putting the weight on his back foot. Both these defensive shots are played by the batter to save his wicket and they are played in tests.

 2. Straight Drive 

When a batter plays a good length or a full-length delivery by opening the face of the bat towards the bowler and the sight screen by putting the weight on his/her front foot by extending it forward when the ball is in line of the stumps, it is known as the straight drive.

‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar’s classic straight drives were a treat to watch. The shot can go beside the umpire and travel straight towards the sight screen. When the batter hits the shot over the bowler’s head, it is called a lofted straight drive.

3. On Drive

An on drive is played on the leg side, as it is also played by opening the face of the bat towards the leg side and long-on or mid-on area for a good length or a full-length delivery that is bowled near the middle and leg area.

It is usually played on the front foot, but some batters who are technically correct manage to get the placement right on the back foot as well. Some batters can also play lofted on drives.

4. Off Drive

It is played towards the off side by opening the face of the bat towards the long-off or mid-off area. It is played when a full-length or a good-length delivery is bowled or when the ball is outside the off stump by extending the front leg. Some batters are comfortable playing lofted-off drives, even with limited footwork.

5. Cover Drive

Elegance is the word that defines this shot, as it highlights the class and calibre of any world-class batter. It is played towards the cover’s area when the ball is bowled just outside or on the off-stump line, and even when the delivery is bowled near the good length area.

It is played by extending the front foot and batters who can judge the length early can play the cover drive on the back foot also. A batter whose bat speed possesses power can play the lofted cover drive effortlessly.

Also Read | Ten Best Cover Drive Shot Players in Cricket

6. Square Drive

It is one of the most difficult shots to play where the batter plays the shot through the point area by extending his front foot forward and opening the face of the bat towards the bowlers when the delivery is bowled on the off stump or just outside the off stump for a full-length delivery. A lofted square is difficult to play as it is sliced above the point and cover fielder.

7. Back Foot Punch

Back foot punch is also difficult to play as the batter needs to stand tall on their feet as they need to put the weight on their back foot to play through the point or cover area. The shot can be played if the ball is just short of length or back of length outside or on the off stump.

8. Cut Shot 

A cut shot is played as a late cut where the batter plays it in between the gully and point area when the ball is outside the off stump while the upper cut is played over the slip area or towards the third man. The square cut is played through the point and cover fielder by putting the weight on the back foot.

Also Read | Ten Best Cut Shot Players in Cricket

9. Leg Glance

A leg glance is played when a delivery is bowled on a batter’s pads towards the leg side. It can be played just by a flick of the wrists towards the fine leg fielder when the ball is a full-length delivery, as it can be played on the back foot as well as the front foot.

10. Hook Shot

A hook shot is another difficult shot to play, as a batter needs to have a solid technique to get on top of the delivery and play it towards the fine leg.

The batter can be hit on the helmet if they are late on the ball, as the shot requires fine hand-eye coordination and quick hands alongside quick wrist movements.

Also Read | Ten Best Hook Shot Players in Cricket

11. Sweep Shot

The shot is played by the batter by leaning down on their knees, as it is mostly played against the spinners towards the square-leg fielder or between the square-leg or fine-leg fielder. It is a risk-free shot, as it is played on turning wickets.

Also Read | Ten Best Sweep Shot Players In Cricket

12. Reverse Sweep

After the introduction of T20 cricket, playing a reverse sweep has become the norm in the sport. It requires the extension of arms and the front leg, and it is played by the batter on the opposite side with the bat facing the third-man fielder while playing the shot.

Also Read | Ten Best Reverse Sweep Shot Players in Cricket

13. Slog Sweep

Slog sweep is played by leaning down on the knees and is played over the mid-wicket area. The batter is in the same position while playing the shot but it can be hit in the air depending on the delivery.

14. Pull Shot

It is also one of the most difficult shots to play, as it is played by getting on top of the short ball on the front foot or the back foot.

It requires balance, hand-eye coordination, solid technique, and the head needs to be still to get the placement right between the square leg and fine leg fielder.

Also Read | Ten Best Pull Shot Players in Cricket

15. Flick Shot 

It is also played when the ball is bowled on a batter’s pads on the leg side towards the mid-wicket area and the fine-leg area.

A batter needs to have flexible wrists to play the shot, as it involves just a flick of the wrists. A pick-up shot can also be played while playing the flick shot, which requires minimum footwork.

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