It is natural for humans to get tired and bored of watching the same thing over and over again. The situation remains unaltered as far as cricket is concerned. The ‘Gentleman’s Game’ is always associated with the MCC Coaching Manual. Fair Enough. After all, majority of cricketing icons have attained the statuses of deities owing to their ‘picture perfect’ techniques. That being said, the only constant factor in this universe is change. Thus, it is not very surprising to see modern day batsmen coming up with their own sets of tricks and wonders.
Here’s presenting a list of 5 Unorthodox Cricketing shots that may defy the nuances of ‘old school of cricket’ but are equally entertaining.
- DIL-SCOOP
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Think of Sri Lanka’s Tilakaratne Dilshan and the first thing that will strike in your mind (apart from his stylish beard) is the dil-scoop, a shot which is known to be a product of his creativity.
This elegant right handed opener started practising this shot against a bowling machine during his stint with IPL franchise, Delhi Daredevils in the 2nd edition of the Indian Premiere League. Some people deem this particular shot risky as it involves high chances of the batsman getting out at a crucial juncture of a game in an attempt to exhibit this shot. On the other hand if it comes off, it is bound to fetch a boundary over the keeper’s head for the batting side. The dil-scoop is also known as the ‘Mc’scoop’ in certain pockets of New Zealand as Kiwi skipper, Brendon Mc’Cullum too, makes extensive use of this shot.
How to play: The basis of this shot is to go down on one knee to a good length or slightly short of length delivery off a fast or medium paced bowler and ‘scoop’ the ball over the head of the wicket-keeper.
Frequently played by: Tilakaratne Dilshan & Brendon McCullum
- PADDLE-SWEEP
We are not talking about cycling as all of you must have figured out by now. The sweep shot has been one of the most talked about shots in the game since time immemorial. The ‘paddle-sweep’ is a variation of the sweep shot and is pretty difficult to execute. Batsmen who play the paddle-sweep tend to pick spinners for attempting the shot. It may not be pleasing to the eye, but once you start practising it in your backyard, your opinion is likely to change. The best part about the paddle sweep is that it is termed as the signature shot of our very own ‘Master Blaster’, Sachin Tendulkar.
I hope you don’t require any explanations in order to understand the significance of this shot.
How to play: It is a cross-batted shot that is played low down on one knee, with the ball finely swept to the leg-side. The shot is best played against spinners and depends on the bat being brought down on the top of the ball to keep it along the ground.
Frequently played by: Sachin Tendulkar and Misbah-ul-Haq
- UPPER CUT
The Nawab of Nazafgarh, Virender Sehwag has always been a person who thinks out-of-the-box as is evident from the quirky comments he makes during a press conference or the unbothered manner in which he mauls the bowlers when he walks out to bat in the middle. The ‘upper cut’ is the result of such an attitude. The upper cut is actually a double-edged sword. It can go either your way or the opposition’s way (if not executed correctly). Nowadays, the slips and the wicket-keepers stay alert due to the wide use of this shot.
How to play: It is a modified version of the conventional cut. It is played towards the third man and is hit when the batsman gets a short-pitched delivery outside the off-stump with some extra bounce. The key is getting under the bounce of the ball.
Frequently played by: Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar
- SWITCH HIT
Say for instance, one fine day you switch on your television set and find Kevin Pietersen batting left handed, don’t get bewildered because that exactly is an example of the switch hit. Pioneered by English Cricket’s ‘poster boy’, Kevin Pietersen, the shot has captured the imagination of many as well as invited a lot of criticism. KP first gave us a taste of his astonishing invention on 15th June, 2008 in an ODI against New Zealand when he effectively changed from a right-hander to a left-hander with the intent of executing the shot before the ball was delivered by the bowler. The switch hit is nothing but a reformed version of the reverse sweep.
Having taken a leaf out of Pietersen’s book, Australia’s David Warner also makes good use of this shot in the limited-overs format. You need to practise this to perfection or else, it will end up looking like a silly act.
How to play: Change your stance to adopt a mirror image of your stance while the bowler is running in to bowl. This shot was legally confirmed by the ICC in 2008.
Frequently played by: Kevin Pietersen and David Warner
- HELICOPTER SHOT
Be rest assured about one thing. When M.S Dhoni bats in the middle, the 22 yards turn into a virtual helipad, waiting for the Indian limited overs Captain to unleash his beloved helicopters.
There is no way a coach can teach you this shot, no matter what his coaching profile conveys. Even though, the helicopter shot is a unique shot, it is not the most difficult shot to execute. One needs loads of patience, practice aided by something which cannot be imparted but is inherited, that is natural talent.
Mahi is said to have learnt this shot from his friend and former Jharkhand player, SantoshLal. Some footage also suggest that the Calypso King, Sir Vivian Richards had a habit of playing this shot but one cannot deny the fact that it was Dhoni who actually popularized this shot among the masses. Hence, this spectacular shot features at No. 1 in this list.
How to play: Keep the back-lift a little high and waft the fuller length balls towards the leg-side. The power has to flow from the thighs to the hips and ultimately to the forearms.
Frequently played by: M.S Dhoni and Sir Vivian Richards (as seen in a few pieces of footage).