- Always be ready for full ball (if you are ready for full ball, you are ready for each ball), else you are not ready.
- Use your body to hit the ball. Use weight transfer. If head goes to ball, the front elbow comes correct and shot goes best.
- above all, lead with head, have a “ok sign” grip from bottom hand (else bat will come from outside and will be restricted to play in mid wicket only) by that I mean take your head towards the ball. Everything else follow (tip by yuvi)
- batting is done by head (no arms and legs). where ever head goes, elbow goes.
- batting is about timing, bottom hand shall be relaxed, if bottom hand is tight it will come across from outside. use only two fingers and a thumb to hold bottom hand. And most importantly, keep bottom hand relaxed as well.
- Head shall be above ball (lean with head on bounce ). for straight bat shots, head shall be in line of ball. try to eat the ball (my mnemonics) as soon as it is around your zone).
- having bottom hand (tight from shoulders and bottom hand elbow) also is not good, keep the whole hand relaxed.
- top hand is dominating
- keep the bat around chest, it should not come from gully (else it comes across).
- do top hand only front foot defense to get strength in top elbow.
- If you have hitting mindset, you play much better than people with defensive mindset, because when you are hitting , your senses work faster to get in good position to play the ball.
- after taking stance have a good look at good length bowling spot, try to move very little(\(\epsilon\)) towrads bowler right before delivery to let bowler make mistake , if its pitched slightly towards you (you drive), else if he bowls short of good length, you pull.
- keep bat little wider from gully or 3rd slip, it allows the arc to come back in and play off side shots.
- don’t place feet in line of pitch, just along side to give some room.
- keep backlift in middle (not too high) , like virat, rohit, yuvi, Sachin
- No need to dip the shoulder (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS82BAsEZCA)
- Mindset shall not be to make runs, but to see the ball and play on merit of ball. Focus on ball only.
- keep stance little open (legs) to use both eyes for vision.
- keep right elbow locked to play under eyes. Don’t chase ball, allow ball to come, do shadows.
- also keep front elbow locked to avoid ball hitting in air. rise the front elbow high after point of contact (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5rijB2tg6E)
- as you take the backlift high, don’t place your frontfoot (at most can be in bit air; avoid moving ). Do shadow (not knocking) to develop muscle memory.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfTxKSe-Sb4)
- take bat down as the ball is near body.
- keep the backtoe side on for off shots and open for straight and leg shots. backfoot toe is side on in defense , but this can’t generate power. open the backfoot toe and let it drag for power. (like Sachin).
- Go slow, things take time.
- for vision, don’t blink eyes, keep wide open eyes. head shall be still, even while tapping and moving bat.
- see the ball from release point, the point of bounce, and when its about to reach you (then play).
- the backlift shall be from waist height, the good length ball is played from that backlift only, and full length and short length balls are played from shoulder height backlift or above. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HYjvY5_-hE)
- don’t chase the ball with long front foot , allow the ball to come to you. front stride is very small for pace bowling.
- play in second line (after pitch or swing). don’t play in first line(in line of release). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw3Yp-p6w3s
- for power, bottom hand is used (even in straight bat shots). (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR02wYhhyf8)
- To play in swing, don’t use front foot. stay there. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8ExAzjSti4) , just open your front foot and play straight.
- To play outswing, backlift should be away from body, which allows the front foot to step in straight and allow head to be in line of ball. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG7pdYSeAOE)
- for backfoot shots, keep your back foot toe (not full feet) and don’t move your head to see the ball. move your backfoot while keeping head fixed in initial line.
- For off side shots (front and backfoot), keep bat away from body like Gill and play with curve, no need to dip shoulder while keeping bat in fine leg.
- move with your head first. play in box.
- don’t play cricket to represent, but to love it and enjoy.
- look for gaps, don’t look at fielders, you will find gaps.
- The open stance is only stance to allow horizontal shots (since it gives room), which helps in power. can’t hit when ball is in line of body. but it also limit the off shots, since its hard to reach the ball off side with little open stance.
- high backlift at short and full balls shall be like yuvi, not too away from body.
- play thoughtless cricket, play on merit of ball, don’t predecide what to do.
- do shadows of raising your backlift without moving feets and when backlift comes down, move your feets (front or back) depending upon full or short ball respectively.
- above all, lead with head, have a “ok sign” grip from bottom hand (else bat will come from outside and will be restricted to play in mid wicket only) by that I mean take your head towards the ball. Everything else follow (tip by yuvi)
MOST IMP: as the ball go up (from bowlers hand or after bouncing) bat should go down, as ball comes down , the bat should come up. (for balls which are not full toss or pitched very near the body), this is to play on the rise of the ball. The truth is it all depends on your bat speed, if your avg bat speed is quick enough, you have advantage to play late and transfering much momentum to the ball. If your bat speed is slow, you have to start downswing bit early and then you have to just time the ball with lesser speed of bat.
There are no wrong or right techniques, each type has a efficiency or optimisation for momentum transfer. These advices are to optimise the momentum transfer to the ball. The more you transfer momentum to the ball in gaps, the more runs you will get.
- grip should be symmetric about handle (both the ways; top of handle and bottom of handle empty distance should be same), firm(not too tight, not too lose that it goes out of hands), grip it like a glass of water, not too tight, not too loose.
- Move your bat \(\epsilon\) (very little) up and down to get the feel of bat speed and it sets your hands in motion, keep head very still while doing that. Don't move bat too much consciously, the more you play consciously, the more you will be in your head and less in your body. The more you are in your body, the more you will be able to play on merit of ball.
- Three basics shall be followed which are moving balance (not static), body alignment and rhythm with bowler
- Most important is rhythm, read ball from hand of bowler and keep your backlift high and swing bat up and down a bit (reminding again) while bowler is running, it helps to be in sync with bowler. Play in a box.
- Batting is game with movement not being static . Keep bat moving up and down very little bit, keep your head very still. Balance is when our both hands, bat, and head are in same line of ball.
- you can also try Pushing your backfoot towards wickets to go front foot quickly or gain forward momentum while batting.
- Lock your both elbows to play under your eyes. Don’t extend any of them.Don’t take shoulder in line of ball, as it allows body to put leg too across. Also keep back foot toe side on. Play as close to body
- Keep batting simple, outside off stump, play in off, middle or leg stump balls should be played straight and in leg respectively. Don’t play across the line of ball, it will be risky and you will get out. Hit short and full length, whenever confused tap the ball and try to steal a single if you can. Play with the turn, slog sweep is only for off spinners.