Cricket is a visual sport like every other. The things that make a batsman memorable is the style in which he bats. That’s something every young fan emulates. Sachin’s stance, Gangulys back lift, Lara’s footwork there is something unique and eye-catching in every batsman who anyone has seen in the play. That special way of playing shots has been etched in every fan old or current mind.
Here we bring to you some of those particular shots that made the player memorable for us all.
1.Switch Hit – Kevin Pietersen
A Modern great of the game, Kevin Pietersen has scored the most runs for England in international cricket. Currently in exile due to his issues with the England and Wales cricket board he still evokes the innovation and aggressiveness he bought with his debut in 2005. The shot he made famous or rather invented was the switch hit; where he changed the grip of his bat from right handed to left handed and changed his stance into a left handed batsman to hit the bowler like one. This shot led to controversy and the MCC and the ICC had to bring in a new law to validate the shot.
2.Reserve Lap – Eoin Morgan
Well there are no words to this shot from Eoin Morgan from England. He just stands there, changes the grip on the bat for a reverse sweep and scoops a full and fast ball from Ravi Rampaul for a six over third man. Even English Captain Paul Collingwood cannot stop laughing at the audacity of the shot. The bowler is too stunned to give any reaction, while West Indies captain Chris Gayle just shrugs.
3.Reverse Sweeps – Glen Maxwell
Glen Maxwell, the newest big hitter on the block has perfected the reverse sweep to the extent that now most of his shots go over the boundary. Maxwell plays in one gear only and does not have a blocking mechanism. He hits it out of the ground or gets out. Most often he gets it correct and people get to enjoy the show.
4.DilScoop – Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan invented a completely new and risky shot called Dil Scoop. Dilshan goes on one knee to a full ball and laps it over his head behind the wicket keeper for either a four or a six. The danger of the shot is that if he misses it, he can also lose some of his teeth despite wearing a helmet. Nonetheless, the shot is exciting and brings the much needed fun in the game of cricket.
5.The Helicopter – MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni’s entry into the world of cricket has been a revelation of sorts. He came in sporting long hair, a give-a-damn attitude and a game that begged a different category. He was brash and arrogant in his batting style, bludgeoning sixes and fours with brute power and force behind them He showed his intentions against Sri Lanka in ODI making 183* with 10 sixes, all of them huge. He also invented a new shot, hitting yorkers out of the ground with a whirl of bat to end the shot to give power to the shot. The commentators dubbed it the ‘Helicopter Shot’ and it has been a staple of his arsenal of shots for making runs against quick bowlers.
The South African ODI skipper is known for his ability to integrate geometry and batting. With the talent he has, the confidence he carries, the amazing hand-eye-coordination he owns, gives him the liberty to do unimaginable, insane things while wielding the bat in hand. AB de Villiers who is widely regarded as the Superman of cricket today and the best batsman in modern day cricket plays shots all around the park creating various angles to hit the ball out of the park.
The Prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly was a nightmare to any spinner or slow medium pacer. While his offside play is well known to everyone, he was more famous for his ability to hit the ball out of the park.
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