- 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
